• Kenya Muslim National Advisory Council on Thursday said that funerals and burial ceremonies must be respected, especially in Mijikenda culture.
•Sheikh Ngao said a law is need to stop politicians from using funerals as platforms to air their political views.
Image: BRIAN OTIENO
Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa was right to grab the microphone from ODM secretary general Edwin Sifuna last Friday during a burial in Malindi, a Muslim group has said.
The Kenya Muslim National Advisory Council said on Thursday that funerals and burial ceremonies must be respected.
“Politicians do not have respect for the dead. They do not respect the families of the deceased,” Kemnac chair Sheikh Juma Ngao told the Star on the phone.
Sifuna had been invited to speak at the burial ceremony of Mombasa Deputy Governor William Kingi’s father.
He started to explain that Jumwa had been expelled from ODM for supporting DP Ruto and violating ODM policy. Then Jumwa intervened and told him to spout off elsewhere.
“She was right. In Mijikenda culture, politics in funerals and burials hasn't been allowed since time immemorial. It is wrong,” Sheikh Ngao said.
“That's why I support what Aisha Jumwa did to Sifuna. The ODM secretary general had started hitting out at Jumwa, which was disrespectful,” the cleric said.
He said Jumwa is being unfairly treated by ODM, which expelled for working with Deputy President William Ruto. But the Parties Dispute Resolution Tribunal stayed the expulsion.
“Let Aisha Jumwa be given her space to exercise her democratic rights in politics,” the sheikh said.
“There has to be a way to stop these politicians. We have seen people fight in funerals because of politics and this is disrespectful to the dead,” Sheikh Ngao said.
He said a law is needed to stop politicians from engaging in politics in funerals, a tall order given that they use funerals as platforms to air their political views.
In Jilore, Malindi, Sifuna said he was only a messenger asked to pass a message by party boss Raila Odinga.
“As the secretary general I have a job, I don’t do it targeting anyone, the Party laws were not made by me; whoever goes against them faces disciplinary action,” Sifuna said.
This was the point at which Jumwa, who had been inviting political leaders to speak, interrupted Sifuna and told him to stop politicising the funeral and look for an ODM platform.
“Mheshimiwa Sifuna, with all due respect, where you have reached you should stop, we are not here for politics. Respect the Mijikenda please," she said.
On Thursday, Sheikh Ngao said Jumwa has only been following in the footsteps of Raila, who initiated the handshake.
“Raila himself brought about the handshake, which Jumwa only followed. Where is the problem?”
He said Raila is now a special envoy for the AU, courtesy of the handshake.
“Anne Waiguru has worked with Raila but President Uhuru did not expel her from the party because it is a democracy. Ferdinand Waititu has been supporting Ruto but has not been expelled.
“Why should Aisha apologise for working with Ruto yet Raila does not apologise for working with Uhuru? If it is an apology, both should apologise,” Sheikh Ngao said.
He said Raila has betrayed those who died fighting for him in street demonstrations that he himself called.
(Edited by V. Graham)