Kenyan Muslim MPs join Christians in churches

Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and some Muslim MPs yesterday attended several church services in the coastal city to worship with Christians and promote tolerance and co-existence of Muslims and Christians.

The governor asked Christians to pray for peace and resist attempts to antagonise them with Muslims in the wake of terror threats. “I urge Christians to pray for peace and stand up against terrorism. Do not accept to be divided along religious or tribal lines in a place which hosts some of the oldest mosques and churches, where religions have co-existed for many years,” Joho said.

Joho addressed Christians at Changamwe Catholic Church and Migadini Jesus Winning Soul Ministry in the company of Changamwe MP Omar Mwinyi and Mombasa MP Mishi Mboko. Later, he went to St Joseph Catholic Church in Tudor, where he joined Mombasa Catholic archbishop Martin Kivuva.

The governor paraded four of five county executive committee members of his cabinet, who are Christians, before the faithful to demonstrate the county government had included members of all faiths.

The county executives are Anthony Njaramba (Agriculture), Hazel Koitaba (Finance) and Francis Thoya of Lands. The fourth one, who was absent, is Joab Tumbo of the Tourism department.

The county government has another five county executives who are Muslims.

“We have Kenyans of all religions and all tribes represented in the county government to co-exist harmoniously,” Joho said.

County assembly speaker Thadius Rajwayi said the county government had factored all religions. Archbishop Kivuva backed the campaign for harmonious religious and tribal co-existence.

Joho said members of the Al-Shabaab are criminal elements hiding under Islam to cause divisions between Christians and Muslims in Kenya, who have been targeting fellow Muslims in Somalia.