Nelson Marwa threatens to storm mosque over ‘inflammatory’ sermons

Mombasa, Kenya: Commissioner Nelson Marwa has claimed radical Muslim youths are streaming into Mlango wa Papa Mosque in Old Town Mombasa to listen to ‘inflammatory’ sermons.

Mr Marwa said the Government has been monitoring the mosque, which he said had been attracting a huge following from all over the country due to the nature of its sermons.

The Standard has not confirmed these claims independently, but the county official said on Monday police arrested 30 youths believed to belong to a gang known as Gaza, accused of terrorising non-Muslims in Kisauni recently. Governor Hassan Joho condemned the attacks.

He claimed Gaza is behind land invasions in Kisauni and added that police have a list of 57 gang members.

“We are putting the Mlango wa Papa imam on notice because we are aware of what is happening in that mosque. Several groups of youths are streaming there to listen to lectures issued after the prayers,” said Marwa.

“The Government will not hesitate to take action on clerics who undermine national security,” he warned yesterday in his office.

Mlango wa Papa mosque is situated on Mombasa’s Old Town that three years ago come to the limelight after two groups of faithful clashed over the annual Maulid festival.

Four people were seriously injured.

In November last year, four mosques were closed down, albeit temporarily, as the government sustained a full scale security operation to weed out ‘jihadists’ blamed for terror attacks in the country.