How converting to Islam cost Mororo politician MCA seat

Born in Shinyalu constituency, Kakamega County 36 years ago, Amos Mukabwa grew up admiring the Islamic way of life. In particular, he admired the way the devout pray five times a day, and how close they are to Allah.

"Given the universal acceptance of one God's existence," Mukabwa poses, "I wondered why the Christian church owns so many rival sects.'' He wonders why churches in Africa continue to thrive with huge numbers of worshipers yet Western world church attendance dwindles by the day.

These doubts made him ditch Pentecostalism and Christianity in 2015.

"I declared Shahada -Muslim profession of faith (there is no God but Allah, Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) is the only messenger of God),'' said Mukabwa adding that in Kisingitini, Lamu, he was taught the Holy Quran and Islamic faith tenets.

''Going against the grain, I abandoned Pentecostal Assembly of God (PAG), and rechristened Mohamed Abdi, '' said Mukabwa.

But he confesses that it was against the wishes of his parents. Though welcomed, showered with gifts, trips and lucrative jobs in Lamu, Mukabwa, who is now Mohamed, says relations with his family and community remain strained.

"Our relationship at home remains so-so.'' Indeed, Phares Luiseno's loud silence about his elder brother's conversion to Islam, speaks volumes of the family's feelings. The third-year computer science student at Nairobi University softly but firmly declined a photo shoot with Mukabwa when asked.

A new life

When Mohamed first moved to Mororo in 2018, he sought out odd jobs, transporting goods on a wheelbarrow in the nearby Garissa town and working in a Garissa hotel.

Moved by the grinding poverty in Mororo and the high child mortality rate due to unskilled and unhygienic home delivery, Mohamed helped many mothers deliver in hospitals. That was besides carpeting mosques and paying school fees for the needy.

''He bought prayer carpets, bought and repaired air conditioners and fans in many mosques in the baking hot ward,'' confirms Ustadh Yusuf Nasser.

Noting Mohamed's leadership qualities, Nasser promptly requested him to vie for the Sala ward MCA seat.

Ustadh Yusuf, another Islamic scholar says it took over a month of soul-searching before Mohamed consented albeit reluctantly.

''On agreeing, overwhelming support from cosmopolitan Mororo residents followed." confirms Ustadh Hamisi Roba, noting that, ''Since he was from Kakamega, a non-local, many residents said he'd deal with equity and equality among the provincial cosmopolitans living amongst indigenous Munyuyahya and Walwana communities in Sala ward."

Roba adds that Mororo residents accepted him as one of their own, that delegation after delegation approached him further cementing support.

''Though I always had political ambitions, I never imagined it could come in such a way,'' confessed Mohamed. "I thought I'd salvage Sala ward from poor selfish leadership where only the chosen few benefited."

Moha Mkombozi

Mohamed's overwhelming support from cosmopolitan Mororo residents grew as he kept helping people.

''Wherever I was, shouts of 'Moha Mkombozi' rented the air,'' Mohamed remembers.

Interestingly, the growing popularity had undercurrents.

"After spending lots of time and cash on campaign material, I was, unceremoniously kicked out of UDA, losing out to Mwangi Kiunjuri's little-known TPS," recalls Mohamed, who claims he unfairly lost the party ticket to a non-registered member.

As Election Day approached, the ground shift became evident. Backstabbing reigned; it wasn't rosy anymore.

"Obvious sectarian differences matured, amidst partisan tribalism amongst our supporters, using religious and tribal fronts to attack and castigate our camp,'' regretted Ustad Nasser.

Mohamed says: "Some alleged my conversation to Islam was to gain political mileage, accusing me of planning to return to Christianity once elected." But he swears he will die a staunch Muslim.

The accusation barred him from campaigning to Christians, yet fellow Muslim opponents dined, danced and even slept in churches campaigning.

"Surprisingly, those who had been using equity and equality in resource distribution were now fronting on the opposite fret using the same cards, attacking me."

"Some clerics summoned me to, test how I much knew about Islam. I insisted that the August 9th polls weren't about Islamic religious knowledge but leadership qualities, qualities that can be learned from the Holy Prophet Mohamed (PBUH ) and the Holy Quran."

Mohamed's dream of making Mororo a better place was not to be.

In the 2022 polls, he garnered less than 400 votes, a distant fourth, after winner Mohamud Barrow and Fauzia Sadiq (then incumbent).

He is looking forward to 2027, when he will take a second stab at the seat.