The leadership of Nairobi’s Jamia Mosque was on Friday angered by an online campaign initiated by the supporters of Mombasa Governor, Hassan Ali Joho who called on the Muslim community in Nairobi to congregate at the mosque after the mid-day prayers for a special prayer session in solidarity with the governor.
The mosque said it was not aware of such an event and was not in support of a political activity to be held in its premises.
In a statement posted on the Mosque’s Facebook page, the mosque distanced itself from the planned prayers session that was to be held in the mosque in solidarity with the governor.
The event did not take place as planned.
Muslims who pray at the mosque were similarly irked by the campaign. Badal Korane, a shop owner at the nearby shopping mall said he four d it disgusting that politician were playing politics while dragging the mosque into their selfish campaigns.
“Of all the places, why did he saw it fit to hold his campaigns in the mosque,” Korane said.
He said the mosque was a a house of God where people of different race, background and political opinions congregate for the sole purpose of worshiping, not to support candidates.
Salman Juma,32, said he came to the mosque on that Friday to disrupt any political activity, saying he was a Jubilee supporter and wouldn’t want his favourite mosque to serve as as a political platform.
“Joho is fighting a political war with the State. He should not have allowed his supporters to use the name of the mosque to tarnish its image,” angry Salman said.
What angered most of the people we spoke with was the silence of the governor. Instead of distancing himself from the campaign, Joho chose not to comment.
The Mombasa governor has been on the headlines lately after his 15-men security detail was withdrawn. The state also asked him to hand over his gun, although he is a licensed gun holder.
“I’m being targeted for supporting the Opposition during the Lamu by-elections,” Ali Joho said.
A Nairobi high court in Nairobi has defended the governor after it ruled that he can remain with his gun.
