SUPKEM Condemns Mwingi-Garissa Highway Attacks, Demands Immediate Security Action
NAIROBI, Kenya, May 1 – The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) led by National Chairman Al-Hajj Hassan Ole Naado has expressed profound alarm and deep sadness regarding deterioration of public security along the Mwingi-Garissa highway.
While addressing the media in Nairobi the Council condemned the escalating insecurity that has left travelers and local residents in a state of constant fear, urging the Ministry of Interior to take decisive action.
“We would NOT be in this unfortunate situation if duty bearers-ranging from community leaders, political leaders and government officials-acted responsibly”.
“As much as we condemn the unlawful kiiling of a young man in Garissa by a police officer, it was wrong and totally against Islamic teachings for the aggrieved family or parties to frame the issue as a war between the community of the victim and the community of the police officer who recklessly and unlawfully pulled the trigger that ended the life of an innocent young man”, the statement reads.
SUPKEM condemned in the strongest terms possible the retaliatory and counter-retaliatory attacks directed at innocent members of the two communities affected by this conflict.
“As we speak today, the vital town of Mwingi along the Mwingi-Garissa highway is now a theatre of senseless inter-ethnic attacks because of the reckless staternents made by some political and community leaders on both sides-And now innocent children travelling back to school have become collateral damage”, said SUPKEM.
“We in the Supreme Council have for time without number condemned extra-judicial killings carried out in the name of national security”.
Additionally, the Council noted that they have always engaged the relevant governmental authorities and the communities affected and we shall continue to engage as and when the situation demands.
“However, we do NOT condone any attempts to frame these unacceptable incidences of extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances as a war, between one religion or ethnic community against the Government or one ethnic community against another”.
They called on the government through the Ministry of Interior and the National Police Service should move swiftly to restore security along the Mwingi-Garissa highway and ensure peaceful flow of traffic and conduct of business in the affected areas.
Appropriate legal action be taken against the offending police officer and as the legal maxim says, “Justice must not only be done, but must manifestly be seen to be done.
Further, all persons, irrespective of their status in society, who issued inflammatory statements or acted in a manner that incited and escalated the violence should be held accountable for their actions and utterances.
Relevant community dialogue and peace Institutions should activate immediately and bring to bear their soft-power approaches to resolving this conflict.
“The Supreme Council is ready and willing to deploy its conflict and peace building credentials to resolve this issue”.
