Bar patrons urinating on mosque walls, polluting neighbourhood, clerics say

Officials at the Bohra Community Mosque located along Lagos road in Nairobi have decried the environmental pollution around the Mosque.

The mosque's Sheikh Huzefa Zaher Poonawala claimed that the smell of urine near the mosque and illegal graffiti have defaced the white perimeter wall.

"This is a sacred place for praying and it's bad to see drunk people urinating on the Mosque wall where the urine finds its way to the Mosque compound," said Poonawala.

He called on the county government to address the situation before it gets out of hand.

Poonawala claimed that there are more than 10 bars around the mosque and that the revellers relieved themselves on the mosque's wall.

His sentiments were echoed by Khadijah Theuri who has been contracted to repair and beautify the wall and the walking lane around the mosque.

"Every time we repair this wall and paint it is defaced by unknown people through graffiti, stepping on it, urinating on it and even hitting it. We just appeal to the governor Johnson Sakaja to help us," said Theuri.

Sheikh Poonawala also said that matatus plying the city centre, Gachie and Githurai routes park behind the mosque hence blocking the entrance.

He said the road leading to the mosque which is opposite Marble Arch hotel is not easily passable in the afternoon and evening hours because of matatus hence blocking faithfuls heading for the afternoon and evening prayers.

Nairobi Metropolitan Services Deputy Director of Environment & Natural Resources, Ibrahim Otieno promised to deploy officers to address the concern.