The history of Islam in Kenya is long and rich, but Muslims are a minority here, with an estimated 30 percent of Kenya's population of 30 million. However, Muslims expect their number to increase.
“Muslims population in Kenya is estimated at about 30 percent of the population, based on 1999 National Census, about 10 Million Muslims. However, this year’s National Census (carried out in August 2009) results are expected early next year. Actual figures of each religion will be known for the first time,” Billow Kerrow, former Kenyan MP, told IslamOnline.net (IOL).
Kerrow is also a political economist and a former legislator.
Most of the Kenyan Muslims inhabit strategically and economically privileged provinces, such as Coast and North Eastern provinces. Nevertheless, due to successive governments’ neglect, they have been left out of the development realization. A big number of Muslims also live in Nyanza, Nairobi, and Rift Valley provinces.
Muslims' Political Participation
Muslims do fully participate in the national and local politics. The current National Assembly has 222 members of whom 32 are Muslims.
Kerrow told IOL: "In the 2007 general elections, Muslim vote was significant in the overall outcome. Allegedly, there was massive rigging that led to bloodshed. The three top contenders fought hard to persuade Muslims in Kenya to join camps in their support."
He added that there are instances where the Muslims have compromised religion and community’s positions to acquire top positions in political fronts.
According to Akiba Bakari, a self-acclaimed ghost buster in Coast Province, and Mzee Kazungu wa Simba, a medicine man from Matunga constituency in Kwale district, (a predominantly Muslim zone), cabinet ministers and MPs in government and oppositions frequent their homes ahead of elections for charms.
Muslim women's participation in government high level decision-making is limited. There are a few Muslim women in top governmental positions: four Muslim women including a minister.
Historically, Muslim communities in Kenya never used to send their young girls to school. However, the trend is now changing.
Kerrow said that, in general, there are six cabinet ministers, five permanent secretaries, several judges and a bunch of state corporations’ chief executive officers who are Muslim.
“Until recently, Muslims used to hold senior positions such as, commissioner of police, chief of general staff, public service commission and heads of various parliamentary committees,” said Kerrow who once was a shadow finance minister.
Religious Freedom
The Kenyan constitution guarantees freedom of worship for all religions. Muslims in Kenya have united at instances where their religion seemed compromised.
A recent National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) and city council was calling for minimal noise. This stirred controversy among Muslims in Kenya.
“Call for Prayer- is a pre-requisite of Muslim Prayers and it should not be interfered with by the NEMA’s new regulations on the noise pollution,” pointed out Kenya’s prime minister Raila Odinga who came to the rescue of Muslims.
Muslim preachers have witnessed thousands of Christians and non-believers converting to Islam. They openly organize open-air sessions, while Christians and Muslims hold debates on Quran and Bible teachings in major towns and streets during evenings.
According to a preacher who wanted to remain anonymous, this is a pure show of freedom in a Christian-majority country.
Most of the hotels in Kenya's major towns and cities have embraced the concept of halal food. Staffs have been integrated to accommodate the Christian and Muslim patrons.
Moreover, to exhibit freedom, the government is in the process of paying out 287 million in cash for the revival of a halal meat company, Bul Bul, in Ngong town south-west of the Kenyan capital Nairobi.
This follows a request by Mohammed Moghas, owner of the Halal Meat Products Company to pay parts of the company’s damages as directed by the Attorney General.
Kadhis’ Court
The Kadhi's Court has been in operation ever since before our country’s independence, although with limited jurisdiction. However, it has been operating under Kenya’s present Constitution dispensation since 1963.1
With a proposed draft constitution in its final stages ahead of national referendum, Pentecostal churches in Kenya are said to have denigrated the draft especially on key provisions on the Kadhis courts.
What irritates Christians most in is the special treatment of Islamic shari'ah law. Their main argument is that since the draft talks about separation between State and religion, the constitution should, therefore, not treat any one religion preferentially.
The draft constitution at Sections 208(b) and 209 provides for the establishment of the Kadhi’s courts merely as subordinate courts for marriage, divorce and inheritance applicable only when both the parties are Muslims.
But in doing so, it has clearly not only protected the Muslims’ rights, but more importantly, it has gone out of its way to protect the rights of the very Christians with regard to the latter’s fear of the possibility of introduction of sharia law.2
There are about 17 Kadhis nationwide serving in different parts of the country. These courts are located in various parts of the country.3
Challenges Facing Kenyan Muslims
Drought has been a major challenge for Muslims who are concentrated in the coutnry's most affected areas in the country; Northern, Eastern, and North Eastern provinces. It is estimated that the average human poverty index of those zones is above 70 percent.
“Inhabitants from these areas have had difficulties in payment of schools' fees and access to adequate education. They are mostly pastoralists and usually find their animals dead, thus having nothing to sell to offset fees arrears,” Kerrow said.
He added that there are no institutions of higher education owned or managed by Muslims, except the Aga Khan University. In comparison, there are more than 20 church-run private universities in the country.
Leadership & Identity Crisis
Although the Kenyan Muslims are generally united, leadership is still a challenge. Muslim students have found themselves compromised by some school rules and way of style.
“In Northern Kenya, the challenge is about identity, which has been disenfranchised. Consequently, the area is under-developed and marginalized” Kerrow told IOL.
Muslims in Coast Province and Nairobi (Nubians) face problems of land ownership as the government has been denying them title to their land for a long time.
“Some policies by the current government are not in wave with Muslims. The majority is unhappy and wants new president elected. Key issues that affect Muslims stand unaddressed,” said Abdullahi Abdi chairman of Kenya's National Muslim Leaders Forum.
Allegedly, ancestral land along the Kenyan coastline was allocated to certain community members. The current government has been accused of fuelling this vice.
The Dark Side
Since the series of bomb blasts in East Africa years ago and the 9/11 attacks, Muslims in Kenya have been harassed, allegedly, by US government.
Kenyan government is accused of supporting rendition, and transfer of suspects to other countries for interrogation.
According to Muslim organizations in Kenya, hundreds have been transferred to Somalia, Ethiopia, and Guantanamo Bay as terrorist suspects. It is a gross violation of international human rights.
Last year, eight Kenyans, who were released after sepending years in rendition. They were part of more than 100 detainees captured near border points. Thye fled into Kenya from the Ethiopian invasion of Somalia early January 2007.
Human Right Watch said in a report that at least 90 men, women, and children who fled the armed conflict in Somalia at the time were unlawfully rendered from Kenya to Somalia, and then on to Ethiopia.
The dozens of people caught up in the secret Horn of Africa renditions in 2007 have suffered in silence for too long.
Those governments involved - Ethiopia, Kenya and the US - need to reverse the course, renounce unlawful renditions, and account for the missing,” said Jennifer Daskal, senior counterterrorism counsel at Human Rights Watch, the author of the report "Why Am I Still Here?: The Horn of Africa Renditions and the Fate of the Missing."
Kenyan Muslims continue to struggle for their rights. While breakthrough has been made in the religious and political fields, still some challenges have to be faced.
Abdulkarim Mohamed Jimale, is a Somali freelance Journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya. He works with a number of local and international media stations. He is interested in the social, and political affairs of
“Muslims population in Kenya is estimated at about 30 percent of the population, based on 1999 National Census, about 10 Million Muslims. However, this year’s National Census (carried out in August 2009) results are expected early next year. Actual figures of each religion will be known for the first time,” Billow Kerrow, former Kenyan MP, told IslamOnline.net (IOL).
Kerrow is also a political economist and a former legislator.
Most of the Kenyan Muslims inhabit strategically and economically privileged provinces, such as Coast and North Eastern provinces. Nevertheless, due to successive governments’ neglect, they have been left out of the development realization. A big number of Muslims also live in Nyanza, Nairobi, and Rift Valley provinces.
Muslims' Political Participation
Muslims do fully participate in the national and local politics. The current National Assembly has 222 members of whom 32 are Muslims.
Kerrow told IOL: "In the 2007 general elections, Muslim vote was significant in the overall outcome. Allegedly, there was massive rigging that led to bloodshed. The three top contenders fought hard to persuade Muslims in Kenya to join camps in their support."
He added that there are instances where the Muslims have compromised religion and community’s positions to acquire top positions in political fronts.
According to Akiba Bakari, a self-acclaimed ghost buster in Coast Province, and Mzee Kazungu wa Simba, a medicine man from Matunga constituency in Kwale district, (a predominantly Muslim zone), cabinet ministers and MPs in government and oppositions frequent their homes ahead of elections for charms.
Muslim women's participation in government high level decision-making is limited. There are a few Muslim women in top governmental positions: four Muslim women including a minister.
Historically, Muslim communities in Kenya never used to send their young girls to school. However, the trend is now changing.
Kerrow said that, in general, there are six cabinet ministers, five permanent secretaries, several judges and a bunch of state corporations’ chief executive officers who are Muslim.
“Until recently, Muslims used to hold senior positions such as, commissioner of police, chief of general staff, public service commission and heads of various parliamentary committees,” said Kerrow who once was a shadow finance minister.
Religious Freedom
The Kenyan constitution guarantees freedom of worship for all religions. Muslims in Kenya have united at instances where their religion seemed compromised.
A recent National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) and city council was calling for minimal noise. This stirred controversy among Muslims in Kenya.
“Call for Prayer- is a pre-requisite of Muslim Prayers and it should not be interfered with by the NEMA’s new regulations on the noise pollution,” pointed out Kenya’s prime minister Raila Odinga who came to the rescue of Muslims.
Muslim preachers have witnessed thousands of Christians and non-believers converting to Islam. They openly organize open-air sessions, while Christians and Muslims hold debates on Quran and Bible teachings in major towns and streets during evenings.
According to a preacher who wanted to remain anonymous, this is a pure show of freedom in a Christian-majority country.
Most of the hotels in Kenya's major towns and cities have embraced the concept of halal food. Staffs have been integrated to accommodate the Christian and Muslim patrons.
Moreover, to exhibit freedom, the government is in the process of paying out 287 million in cash for the revival of a halal meat company, Bul Bul, in Ngong town south-west of the Kenyan capital Nairobi.
This follows a request by Mohammed Moghas, owner of the Halal Meat Products Company to pay parts of the company’s damages as directed by the Attorney General.
Kadhis’ Court
The Kadhi's Court has been in operation ever since before our country’s independence, although with limited jurisdiction. However, it has been operating under Kenya’s present Constitution dispensation since 1963.1
With a proposed draft constitution in its final stages ahead of national referendum, Pentecostal churches in Kenya are said to have denigrated the draft especially on key provisions on the Kadhis courts.
What irritates Christians most in is the special treatment of Islamic shari'ah law. Their main argument is that since the draft talks about separation between State and religion, the constitution should, therefore, not treat any one religion preferentially.
The draft constitution at Sections 208(b) and 209 provides for the establishment of the Kadhi’s courts merely as subordinate courts for marriage, divorce and inheritance applicable only when both the parties are Muslims.
But in doing so, it has clearly not only protected the Muslims’ rights, but more importantly, it has gone out of its way to protect the rights of the very Christians with regard to the latter’s fear of the possibility of introduction of sharia law.2
There are about 17 Kadhis nationwide serving in different parts of the country. These courts are located in various parts of the country.3
Challenges Facing Kenyan Muslims
Drought has been a major challenge for Muslims who are concentrated in the coutnry's most affected areas in the country; Northern, Eastern, and North Eastern provinces. It is estimated that the average human poverty index of those zones is above 70 percent.
“Inhabitants from these areas have had difficulties in payment of schools' fees and access to adequate education. They are mostly pastoralists and usually find their animals dead, thus having nothing to sell to offset fees arrears,” Kerrow said.
He added that there are no institutions of higher education owned or managed by Muslims, except the Aga Khan University. In comparison, there are more than 20 church-run private universities in the country.
Leadership & Identity Crisis
Although the Kenyan Muslims are generally united, leadership is still a challenge. Muslim students have found themselves compromised by some school rules and way of style.
“In Northern Kenya, the challenge is about identity, which has been disenfranchised. Consequently, the area is under-developed and marginalized” Kerrow told IOL.
Muslims in Coast Province and Nairobi (Nubians) face problems of land ownership as the government has been denying them title to their land for a long time.
“Some policies by the current government are not in wave with Muslims. The majority is unhappy and wants new president elected. Key issues that affect Muslims stand unaddressed,” said Abdullahi Abdi chairman of Kenya's National Muslim Leaders Forum.
Allegedly, ancestral land along the Kenyan coastline was allocated to certain community members. The current government has been accused of fuelling this vice.
The Dark Side
Since the series of bomb blasts in East Africa years ago and the 9/11 attacks, Muslims in Kenya have been harassed, allegedly, by US government.
Kenyan government is accused of supporting rendition, and transfer of suspects to other countries for interrogation.
According to Muslim organizations in Kenya, hundreds have been transferred to Somalia, Ethiopia, and Guantanamo Bay as terrorist suspects. It is a gross violation of international human rights.
Last year, eight Kenyans, who were released after sepending years in rendition. They were part of more than 100 detainees captured near border points. Thye fled into Kenya from the Ethiopian invasion of Somalia early January 2007.
Human Right Watch said in a report that at least 90 men, women, and children who fled the armed conflict in Somalia at the time were unlawfully rendered from Kenya to Somalia, and then on to Ethiopia.
The dozens of people caught up in the secret Horn of Africa renditions in 2007 have suffered in silence for too long.
Those governments involved - Ethiopia, Kenya and the US - need to reverse the course, renounce unlawful renditions, and account for the missing,” said Jennifer Daskal, senior counterterrorism counsel at Human Rights Watch, the author of the report "Why Am I Still Here?: The Horn of Africa Renditions and the Fate of the Missing."
Kenyan Muslims continue to struggle for their rights. While breakthrough has been made in the religious and political fields, still some challenges have to be faced.
Abdulkarim Mohamed Jimale, is a Somali freelance Journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya. He works with a number of local and international media stations. He is interested in the social, and political affairs of
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