Political and religious leaders in Mombasa on Wednesday called for peace and unity as they converged for Eid prayers.
Governor Hassan Joho, Chief Kadhi Ahmed Mohdhar, former Chief Kadhi Sheikh Hamad Kassim and a host of Muslim clerics and politicians gathered at Ronald Ngala Primary School.
Joho said that although human beings are imperfect, that should not prevent them from achieving peace and unity, which, he added, is the most crucial conversation Kenya needs at the moment.
“The most important conversation is the unity of the community. Our unity is in the Quran, the Bible, and other holy books. All holy books talk of unity,” he said.
Reinforcing the call, Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir urged leaders to bring people together. He said Allah forbids people from fighting one another, whether physically or verbally.
“We should not allow ourselves to quarrel. Quarrelling is a bigger sin than what one is quarrelling over,” Nassir said.
Mombasa county assembly speaker Aharub Khatri also pitched the plea.
“We are all one people, brothers before Allah,” he said.
Governor Joho said the political leadership in the county is already engaging residents in public-participation forums to achieve long-term peace and unity.
“We are looking at long-term solutions – what is it that we can do to be able to bring harmony and unity and make a collective decision,” he said.
“We should all look at each other not on the basis of tribe, colour, race or religion, but as God’s creation. None of us had the opportunity to choose how and where they want to be born. We will all sin, but the better human being is he who asks for forgiveness.”
The county chief called for respect for divergent opinions as a precursor of peace and unity. Small differences of opinion should not prevent Kenyans from achieving unity, he said.
Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya organising secretary Sheikh Mohamed Khalifa said the end of Ramadhan should not mark the end of doing good or the resumption of doing bad.
“Eid is not a licence to engage in maasya (sin). We have been allowed to engage in the little pleasure in life like eating, drinking halal things and enjoying our wives,” he said, adding that bad habits must be ignored.
“This day should not be used to go to the discos, drink alcohol or use other illicit drugs — muguka and miraa. Many had left these things during Ramadhan. Do not resume.”
Chief Kadhi Mohdhar thanked the government for making Wednesday a public holiday. He appealed that Idd-ul-Adha, which will come in two months, also be declared a public holiday.
“After the Hajj prayers, there will be Idd-ul-Adha. We ask the government to gazette that day and make it one of the official public holidays in Kenya,” Mohdhar said.
(Edited by F'Orieny)
