It's Al Shabaab, not Islam under attack, Sheikh Ali

Njoroge Kinuthia

Sheikh Ahmed Iman Ali eerily reminds PointBlank of Osama bin Laden. And it's not hard to tell why. The former chairman of Muslim Youth Centre in Pumwani who is now fighting Kenyan forces alongside the Al Shabaab in Somalia has an ‘Osamarish’ mien about him. He wears a caumoflage jacket and a turban, speaks in a calm calculated drawl and has a goatee, though much shorter than bin Laden’s signature beard.

In his video declaration of jihad against his motherland, which was swiftly deleted by YouTube, Ali also left little doubt that his philosophy was no different from that of bin Laden’s.

Propaganda

He alleged that the war against Al Shabaab was a war against Islam – cheap and time-worn propaganda that has been used radical Muslims to rally support against their enemies, real and imagined. Tell that to the birds, Mr Ali, for neither Islam nor Muslims are under attack.

Truth be told, most people-besides Ali and his misguided ilk-- long for peace in Somalia. That is why the KDF mission has won global support even from Muslim countries.

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Forgotten officers in Migingo

Sometime in August last year, 14 police officers were dispatched to the disputed Migingo Island, amid jubilation by Kenyans.

The island had hitherto been manned by Ugandan forces and our officers were supposed to create a balance of power and end alleged perpetual harassment of Kenyans by the Ugandans.

But only four months down the line, the Kenyan officers are a demoralised lot, according to one of them who accuses the Government of clinging onto their allowances.

A constable he claims was supposed to receive a daily allowance of Sh2800. This payment was made promptly during the first month but things changed afterwards.

"Regular police officers have gone without receiving the allowances while APs receive reduced figures," reveals the officer who says on average an officer spends Sh1500 daily.

"We are reliably informed from Vigilance House that the money was dispatched to the province but is yet to reach us," he laments.

What’s causing these delays, Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere?

Man reads politics in business woes

Mbita businessman Okuku Miregi would like the Ministry of Public Health to probe the conduct of one of its officers whom he alleges is being used by a senior provincial administrator to frustrate his bar business in the lakeside town.

Mr Miregi claims that the officer closed down his business over alleged sanitation concerns even before a three-month notice he was given by the District Liquour Licensing Board had elapsed. This is despite the fact that all other pubs in the town issued with similar notices were operating as usual.

Miregi says his bar was shut down after he differed with the administrator whom he claims had demanded an apology over his (Miregi) association with the New Vision Party.

"The officer accused me of embarrassing the Government by going to a funeral attended by the PM’s wife while accompanied by youths wearing NVP T-shirts last year.

Patrons

"He also sought to know whether I was serious in supporting NVP while majority of my patrons were in ODM," says Miregi who claims to have complained about the administrator to the Minister for Internal Security and the Ombudsman.

The businessman can be reached on 0720891365.

Helb shocker for loan beneficiary

Pauline Swagi, a former University of Nairobi student can’t understand what the Higher Education Loans Board is up to. She is perplexed that Helb wants her to pay Sh342,699 from a principal loan of Sh185,000. Ms Swagi claims to have been unemployed until last year when she got a steady job and asked Helb to start deducting its dues. But she is afraid that Helb now seems to have found a milch cow. "Isn’t this over and above the 4 per cent interest rate that I took this loan on?" she asks. Can someone explain to her how the Sh342,699 figure was reached at? Her email is [email protected].

DON’T YOU FORGET

Questions that baffle

US visa applicants

On September 22, PointBlank asked ambassador Scott Gration to explain the relevance of some questions featuring on US visa application forms.

The questions include:

• Are you coming to the US to engage in prostitution or unlawful commercialised vice or have you been engaged in prostitution or procuring prostitutes within the past 10 years?

• Do you seek to engage in terrorist activities while in the United States or have you ever engaged in terrorist activities?

We argued that these questions are unnecessary because no one interested in going to the US would answer them in the affirmative. Do they serve any important purpose, Mr Gration?