Nyali MP Mohammed Ali has said there are tycoons using religion to grab public land in his constituency.
The MP said on Saturday that the trend is increasingly being used in Mombasa and cited two incidents in Nyali.
“They tried it at Kwa Bulo where they used the pretext of construction of a mosque to try and grab public land. We stopped them and managed to recover the land where we have now constructed Kwa Bulo primary and secondary schools,”Ali said.
The latest case, he said, is at Mwatamba area in Kadzandani, where construction of a mosque was stopped by police on Tuesday.
The mosque, according to Kadzandani MCA Kombe Nzai, is being built by Turkish investors to help the community.
Nzai said residents agreed to have a mosque and a madrassa constructed there.
“The area had been marked for construction of a public utility and former MP Hezron Awiti had even set aside some funds for the construction of a nursery school but engineers said the land is too small for a nursery school,” Nzai said.
The nearest mosque from the area is about five kilometres away, forcing children to walk a long distance to get to the nearest madrassa.
"This mosque will save us the trouble of paying about Sh100 to boda boda for our children to get to madrassa,” Awadh Halima, a resident, said.
However, a section of the residents denied they agreed to have a mosque built there.
The land on which the mosque is being constructed is a trapezium-shaped government land measuring 18 by 282 by 276 by 252 feet.
Some residents have opposed the construction of a mosque, saying it will disrupt efforts to improve security in the area.
MP Ali said the land has been earmarked for construction of an AP post, a chief’s office and a social hall.
He said the mosque proposal is a ploy by one tycoon who is using proxies to try and grab the land.
“I am aware of the people behind the construction of the mosque. They will not accomplish their plans under my watch,” said Ali.
The MP said tycoons are fond of using religion to whip up emotions to get a free hand in grabbing lands.
In Mombasa, Muslims rarely oppose the construction of a mosque as it goes against their faith.
It is this excuse that tycoons use so as to grab pieces of land.
He said the supposed mosque has dubious approvals,lacks signage, and the design is suspect.
“Where on earth have you seen a mosque being constructed having many rooms like stalls? How did they get approval yet the title deed to the land is with the government? Was there any public participation?” posed Ali.
The MP linked those behind the construction of the mosque to the defacing of his development projects’ signage.
“They are well known to us. They are our rivals. They are the same ones who defaced our signboards on every development project we have done in Nyali,” said Ali.
Edited by EKibii
