Muslims Peace Convoy Tours Kenya

Saturday, August 29, 2015

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NAIROBI – Spreading a message of peace and tolerance, Kenyan Muslim leaders have launched a caravan that aims to combat radicalization among Muslim youth in the eastern African country.

"Islam means peace and whosoever is compromising it, does not uphold the true values and teachings of the religion," Ibrahim Abdullahi, the leader of Nairobi Muslim Clerics (NMC), told Standard Digital on Friday, August 28.

Abdullah was speaking during the launch of the NMC campaign in Nairobi’s Eastleigh.

The peace initiative, that was launched on Thursday, August 27, aims to reach out to vulnerable youth in 47 counties in Nairobi and Mombasa.

Condemning terrorism in the African country, the Muslim leader said that extremist groups are emphasizing the negative stereotypes and stigmatizing the Muslim community.

Meanwhile, he raised alarm over the disappearance of the Muslim youth and recruitment by terror groups.

"Their families have been insinuating that there are security agents who have a hand in their disappearance and therefore we ask the government to come out and look into this matter," Abdullahi said.

Other NMC members urged the government to adopt new strategies to foster trust between police and Muslim youth.

NMC’s peace initiative is supported by Christian representatives who have a key role in fighting terrorism in the country.

Kenya Muslims have been sensing eradication of their rights after their country was involved in the so-called war on terrorism in East Africa.

Supported by UK and US, Kenya's anti-terror police have been accused of targeting innocent Muslims with arbitrary arrests and disappearances.

Muslims problems increased following 2013 Westgate mall attack in which more than 60 people were killed, the attack which was claimed by Somalia's militant al Shabaab group.

Muslims in Kenya are 20 to 30 percent of the 43 million population, with the religion having arrived in East Africa more than a thousand years ago thanks to Muslim traders from Oman.

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