His Holiness Seydna Mufaddal Saifuddin [L] at the Moi International Airport, Mombasa on Tuesday evening / BRIAN OTIENO

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Kenyans must prioritise peace and social cohesion for effective service delivery and national stability, a global spiritual leader has said.

Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, the spiritual leader of the worldwide Dawoodi Bohra Community, said peace and harmony remain the most important foundations for any society seeking progress.

He warned they must be protected from political and social strain.

“Peace is a gift no one should play with. We see what is happening across the globe,” he said in Mombasa on Wednesday.

His remarks come at a time of heightened political tension in Kenya, with planned demonstrations over rising fuel prices and concerns about governance.

Syedna is in Kenya for a 10-day visit that will see him tour Mombasa, Malindi and Nairobi, addressing members of the Dawoodi Bohra Community.

He arrived in Mombasa on Tuesday evening and was received by community leaders led by Hamza Shura.

During the visit, he is scheduled to deliver a sermon at Burhani Masjid in Mombasa next week, an event expected to attract large congregations from across the Coast and beyond.

He will also meet families in Malindi as part of what the community describes as its tradition of direct engagement and spiritual guidance.

“As part of the visit, he will also travel to Malindi to meet Dawoodi Bohra families and engage with residents, continuing a tradition of direct outreach and community connection,” Shura said.

The Dawoodi Bohra Community, a Shia Muslim group of Indian Gujarati origin, has been present in Kenya for more than two centuries.

It is largely concentrated in coastal towns and major urban centres, where it is involved in trade, manufacturing, construction and real estate.

The community also runs social and environmental initiatives under its global programme, Project Rise.

These include food distribution, health outreach and mangrove restoration efforts, which have increasingly aligned with national development and environmental goals.

In Kenya, its presence is estimated at thousands of members, with significant populations in Nairobi, Mombasa and other major towns including Nakuru, Kisumu, Eldoret, Nyeri and Malindi.

In Nairobi alone, families are mainly based in Karen, Lang’ata and Saifee Park. In Mombasa, they are concentrated in Old Town, Kizingo and Nyali.

The community is led by the 53^rd Al-Dai al-Mutlaq, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, who frequently visits Kenya and has in the past met senior government leaders, including the President.

The community also runs educational institutions such as the Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah Academy in Nairobi, reinforcing its long-standing social and economic footprint in the country.