Garissa Supkem officials demand overhaul of Mombasa security bosses

 
Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (Supkem) officials from Garissa have demanded that the government make an immediate overhaul of security heads in Mombasa County.

The clerics have at the same time condemned the incessant police raids and subsequent closures of mosques.

They have called on the government to exercise restraint while flushing out criminals.

While addressing journalists in Garissa Town on Friday morning Garissa Supkem chairman Abdullahi Salat said there is an urgent need for the government to make an overhaul of all security heads in Mombasa, saying that they had failed to bring sanity in the coastal town.

“We appeal to President Kenyatta to change security bosses in Mombasa because some of them have developed hostility between themselves and the people they are supposed to protect, resulting in mistrust,” he said.

NEW APPROACH NEEDED

The Supkem chairman said new security heads would come up with fresh ideas and new approaches on how to deal with latest crime incidents in Mombasa.

Two days ago police in Mombasa raided Musa and Sakina mosques and arrested more than 200 youths and recovered explosives and crude weapons. The mosques have since been closed.

Mr Salat faulted the raiding of mosques by officers to arrest youths allegedly being radicalised, noting that the security agents should not connect criminals with religion.

He said while they condemn the maiming and killing of innocent civilians by the youths, the government should devise ways to deal with these criminals.

Mr Salat said a mosque is an open social place of worship where people including security officers go for prayers, adding that the police should come clean on the suspected explosives they claim were seized from the mosques.

“The government must not connect criminals with religion.

"It is only religious leaders who can solve these issues by way of dialogue and not the way the government is doing it,” he added.