Muslims unite in prayer as Ramadhan ends

Cup pressure peaks as Shabana host Kenya Police in blockbuster quarter-final Football

Upper Hill coach Walgwe unperturbed despite drawing giants in Prescott Cup group phase Rugby

Muslim leaders on Saturday and Friday set aside their differences and appeared to be united in celebration as they marked Eid-ul-Fitr.

While some had their Eid prayers in Friday following the Chief Kadhi Sheikh Sukyan Omar’s announcement, others had them on Saturday following the Kenya Fatwa Council’s announcement.

At the Bhadala Jamaat Hall, the Muslim Bhadala Jamaat, chaired by Imtiaz Sayani, hosted eid prayers for Muslim gents and urged all Muslims and non-Mulsim to promote peace and harmony so as to prosper.

“Eid is a time for unity and prayer. We call on all Mombasa people to remember the teachings of Allah and love each other as neighbours. Tgis way, Mombvasa will be peaceful for business to prosper and the economy to thrive,” Sayani said.

His sentiments echo those of Mining CS Hassan Joho, Mombasa governor Abdulswamad Nassir and UDA secretary general and EALA MP Hassan Omar on Friday.

Joho, who prayed at the now famous Masjid Ummu Kulthum, said humanity is about brotherhood.

“Islam teaches us humanity and our humanity is our brotherhood. We are all one, whether Muslim or non-Muslim,” Joho said.

On the political front, UDA’s Omar and ODM’s Nassir appeared to present a show of unity when they prayed side by side at Tononoka ground.

The two hugged after the Eid prayers.

Omar said political competition should not blind leaders or their followers into acting like it is do or die for them.

He said politics is about development of one’s region and all actions should be geared towards ensuring where one represents is developed and makes life easier for the people.

“That is why we are thankful for President Wiliam Ruto for making us in the Coast region feel included in the country’s development agenda through all the projects he has brought to us in the region including the Affordable Housing, roads, Special Economic Zone among others,” Omar said.

He said political competition should not be about constant insults, propaganda, and innuendos that threaten the peace of a region.

Joho and Governor Nassir said the country’s political temperatures are still mild and urged fellow politicians not to escalate their political differences to the extent of threatening the peace of the country.

Governor Nassir Eid is about putting differences aside and celebrating together in unity.

He denied that the country’s political temperatures are too high and threaten to tear trhe country apart.

He said the same people who are now throwing words at each other were the same people who sat together on the same table planning the country’s development.

“I don’t think they are sparks that could light fire to the country. Let us not go in that direction. Even though it is my hope that political temperatures will cool down,” he said at Tononoka ground.

Joho said: “The temperatures are still mild. When the temperatures rise, some will regret joining politics. Many have walked around for a long time politicking while some of us have been working. But we also know politics, thank God.

“The political headquarter is here. When we start at the right time, the temperature will rise. Now it has not risen.”

Said ‘Saido’ Abdalla said politics should build societies and not destroy them.

He said political leaders need to recognize that they are servants of the people and servants should not cause disharmony amongst their masters.

“We do not subscribe to politics of discrimination, tribalism, racial prejudice, and religious parody,” Saido said.

He said Kenyans want to see leaders who reflect good morals and ideals, so as to help the country grow economically.