Secession fundamentalists reason out their cause

SECESSION

DEC 17, 2009   

BY EUGENE OMILO

The Kenya Muslims National Advisory Council (KEMNAC) has added its voice to other Coastal organizations calling for autonomy of the Coastal region.

 Kemnac national chairman Sheikh Juma Ngao said the organization envisages a situation where the region has total control of its resources and governance as is the case with Zanzibar in Tanzania’s unity government.

The views to have the region attain autonomy have been predominant with the Republican council and a local civil organization leading in the calls.

Sheikh Ngao was speaking at a Mombasa hotel while giving the Council’s views on the harmonized constitutional draft.

He said the regional governments should be made more powerful complete with their own police force and the national land commission be replaced with regional and county land commissions.

The council also wants the status of the chief Kadhi to be upgraded to the position of chief justice with a deputy and regional representatives who will also be granted the same status as other judicial officers.

Still on Kadhi courts, the council proposed that the clause proposing that the Kadhi courts operate only in the protectorate area be removed to allow the courts to be established countrywide.

Sheikh Ngao said the organization wants a Muslims council to vet names of proposed kadhis and have the chief Kadhi by involving all Muslims to participate in electing the chief Kadhi and other kadhis.

He said Kemnac supports the scrapping of the provincial administration which he claims the outfit has been misused politically to the detriment of Kenyans.

The council also proposed a powerful presidency with clear responsibilities but the position of a prime minister be put in place only if he has his roles well stipulated.

He said the cabinet and other appointments in the civil service should represent clearly all the religions in the country.

Sheikh Ngao also said the bill which allows voters to recall their MPs be scraped as it may be used for purposes of settling political scores. 

ENDS.