MOMBASA, Kenya – A section of influential Muslim clerics in Mombasa has urged President William Ruto to dismiss Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, claiming that sparing him during the recent purge of Cabinet Secretaries was unjust.
The Kenya Muslim National Advisory Council (Kemnac), led by Chairman Sheikh Juma Ngao, also called for the reinstatement of Attorney General Justin Muturi, who was recently removed from his position.
Speaking a press briefing on Monday, Sheikh Ngao emphasized that while the dissolution of the Cabinet aligned with the wishes of many Kenyans, the decision to retain Mudavadi as the Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary was unfair.
“President Ruto dissolved his Cabinet, which is what Kenyans wanted. But he spared the Foreign Affairs CS. Why? It is unfair to the others,” Ngao stated.
The clerics didn’t stop at Mudavadi. They called for the arrest and prosecution of several former Cabinet Secretaries and officials for alleged misconduct and abuse of office.
Sheikh Ngao specifically mentioned former CSs Kithure Kindiki, Mithika Linturi, and Aden Duale, along with former Inspector General of Police Japheth Koome.
Kindiki, the former Interior CS, was accused of involvement in the abduction and killing of protesters.
Duale, the former Defense CS, faced accusations of improperly deploying soldiers for tasks typically handled by the police, an action that Sheikh Ngao argued was a misuse of military power in the absence of a state of emergency.
Linturi was criticized for allegedly distributing fake fertilizer to farmers, a move that purportedly harmed poor farmers across the country.
“He must tell Kenyans where the fake fertilizer came from and why hard-working Kenyans were duped into buying it,” Sheikh Ngao demanded.
Former IG Koome was accused of ordering police to use lethal force against protesters, resulting in the deaths of at least 41 individuals.
“We know police officers act on orders. When they fire live bullets on innocent and brave Kenyans, they are acting on someone’s orders. That someone is Koome, and he must take responsibility,” Sheikh Ngao insisted.
Kemnac also highlighted the need for greater Muslim representation in the next Cabinet, advocating for at least five Muslim Cabinet Secretaries.
“Muslims are everywhere in Kenya and from all tribes. We don’t care where the Muslims will come from. There are Muslim Kalenjins, Muslim Luos, Muslim Kikuyus, Muslim Kambas, and they are spread across the country. Pick any from anywhere as long as they are Muslim,” Sheikh Ngao stated.
Kemnac Vice Chairman Abubakar Amin called for lifestyle audits of the sacked CSs to determine if their wealth was acquired legally.
He proposed thorough audits of their bank accounts before and after their appointments to detect any discrepancies.
While advocating for justice and transparency, the clerics warned Generation Z to maintain peaceful protests, cautioning against the potential for violence to destabilize the country.
“In as much as you want the President to give in to your demands, don’t allow the protests to take a violent turn. It could lead the country astray. We have seen what Sudan, Somalia, Rwanda, Syria, Iraq, Algeria, DRC, Libya, and other countries are today – just shells because of war which started as protests,” Sheikh Ngao advised.
