A group of Muslim youths in the North Rift region have condemned a recent attempt to transfer some of the powers bestowed on the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) to the Wakf Commission.
This is after a National Parliament Legal Committee proposed amendments that would have seen management of Hajj funds moved to the Wakf Commission.
The proposal was however declared unlawful by the National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi.
Speaking in a media briefing in Eldoret town, North Rift Youth Daawa Group Secretary-General Jamal Diriwo Omari said the recent events were an indication that there was a push and pull between SUPKEM and some of the Muslim associations.
Omari said, there was need for all associations to embrace the fact that SUPKEM is a body that all other Muslim organizations fall under.
“It is wrong to divide SUPKEM and remove some of its roles and transfer to other entities on claims it has failed in delivering its mandate. Hajj is an international issue that involves government and SUPKEM is the only one mandated to handle it,”
– North Rift Youth Daawa Group SG Jamal Diriwo Omari.
According to Jamal, if there was an issue with SUPKEM leadership, the best approach was for the leadership to be replaced, and not transfer some of its functions to other entities.
“As Muslim leaders, if there is an issue within SUPKEM, the best you can do is replacing the committee with a new one ready to handle Muslim issues; but not disbanding it or removing some powers it was constitutionally given.”
– North Rift Youth Daawa group SG Jamal Diriwo Omari.
He rallied Muslim associations to take the lead in ensuring there is unity among all Muslims – under SUPKEM.
Jamal noted that some Muslim leaders were pushing for the transfer of Hajj funds’ management to the Wakf Commission for selfish gains.
SUPKEM is mandated to handle money paid by Muslims to support their travel for Hajj, an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims.
