Muslim clerics in Mombasa blame homosexuality on drugs

GAYSM

FEBRUARY 21, 2010

BY EUGENE OMILO

Muslim leaders in Mombasa have blamed the emerging homosexuality tendencies in parts of the region on the rampant abuse of drugs amongst iddle youth.

While speaking during a one day workshop for school leavers at the Mombasa Polytechnic University College over the weekend the Council of Imams and preachers of Kenya (CIPK) leaders said the government needs to put extra attention on the plight of youngsters as their future is bleak.

CIPK chairman Sheikh Mohamed Idriss said many youths who have dropped out of school are easily cheated into drug abuse and other anti-social behaviours because they lose hope in life.

Recently, government officials in Kilifi conducted a swoop to curb suspected gays in Mtwapa which ended up to the arrest of several young men.

CIPK’s organizing secretary Sheikh Mohammed Khalifa blamed the 8-4-4 system of education as responsible for the unemployment woes facing majority of Kenyan youths.

“Why don’t our leaders ask themselves where the thousands of young people go when they don’t get admission to either secondary schools or colleges?” wondered Sheikh  Khalifa who also blamed political leaders for engaging in party wrangles instead of concentrating on the election promises they made to Kenyans.

He said CIPK had organized the workshop together with the Mombasa polytechnic Islamic Students ‘ Society in which youths benefited from expert advice on alternative means of excelling in vocational courses after they failed to continue with formal education.

“The world today depends on technology whose basis is in electricians, plumbers, masons and mechanics so do not despise these jobs because they will make you important people in the path of developing our country,” said Sheikh Khalifa.  

Sheikh Zubeir Noor who is in charge of Human resources at the CIPK said the Imam’s council has established a database for all prospective employers to help Muslim youths get employment after completing various courses.

“We want the government to support us in our effort to ensure those who do not go to high school or to university still get a chance to be trained in vocational courses,” said Sheikh Noor.

Trainers from Iqra Youth Foundation and the Tawba technical institute also gave motivational talks to the youth many of whom are school leavers.

Sheikh Khalifa said similar workshops will be conducted in Kisauni, Changamwe and Likoni districts to reach out to school leavers in those areas.

ENDS…