Wanjiru denies claims she sponsored riots

By Moses Njagih and Peter Orengo

Housing Assistant Minister Margaret Wanjiru has denied involvement in protests over Jamaican preacher Abdullah al-Faisal.

The Starehe MP blamed a Cabinet minister for starting the rumour.

"I know the rumour was started by a Cabinet minister in the Coalition Government whom I am not going to name," said Bishop Wanjiru.

She denied claims carried in a section of the media (not The Standard) that she sponsored a gang of youth to counter the protesters.

"Traders and employees joined the police to stop the demonstrators last Friday because they felt the riots would affect their businesses. I was in Molo planting trees in the Mau," Wanjiru said in Nairobi, Thursday.

Freedom of worship

The MP asked Christians and Muslims to live in peace as they have always done.

Speaking in Mukurwe-ini on Wednesday, the MP said she believed in the freedom of worship.

"I have no problem with Islam as a religion. My only problem is the entrenchment of Kadhis’ Courts in our constitution," she said.

Last Friday’s protests left one dead and scores injured. Traders also lost property worth hundreds of millions of shillings.

The violent protests have been condemned and plans to hold more demonstrations dismissed.

Muslim leaders have consequently demanded Faisal’s deportation.