Leaders clash over mosque storming to flush out 'radical youths'

Mombasa, Kenya: Mombasa Governor Hassan Ali Joho and other local leaders have once again differed with County Commissioner Nelson Marwa over the storming of mosques to flush out allegedly radical youths.

This comes barely two weeks after Marwa appeared to give the green light to security forces to storm Mlango Wa Papa Mosque in Mombasa’s Old Town to arrest radical youths he claimed had made it their base after fleeing other mosques searched by the police in Mombasa last year.

Speaking during a security meeting held in Majengo yesterday, in an effort to find solutions to the escalating incidents of mugging and stabbing in the area, Joho said interfering with mosques would only fuel emotions.

Joho accused national government officials of meddling in mosque affairs. He said all mosques in the county had conformed to new security regulations.

“Leave the mosques alone. All the mosques are observing peace and we shall not allow the State to keep disturbing prayers in the mosques,” said Joho.

However, the Governor said he was on good terms with Marwa, whom he asked to request the President to bring National Youth Service projects to Mombasa, to absorb the huge number of unemployed youths. Marwa said the Government was committed to enhancing security in the country, would flush out criminals even if they hid in mosques or churches. This did not go down well with the leaders at the security meeting.

“We have no quarrel with the governor. We are bound to differ on some issues but we are all servants to the public and we intend to work together to achieve sustainable security in the county,” said Marwa. He said the security force key role was to ensure citizens’ safety and anyone threatening the peace would not be spared, regardless of where they were.

“We respect the mosques and churches but if we have intelligence that there is a breach of security going on in the place of worship, we shall not hesitate to storm the place and flush out the individuals responsible,” warned Marwa.

Also present at the meeting were Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar and Mvita MP Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir.