The threat to disrupt X-Country ill-advised

I sympathize with the twenty-five Kenyans who have been deported by the Government on the pretext of being considered terrorists and to be members of the Al-Qaeda terror group network.
The authorities contend that the individuals are not Kenyans. I would say this: It is wrong for the Government to deport any person if there is proof that the individual in question is a Kenyan. It doesn’t or shouldn’t matter whether the Kenyan authorities deported these individuals
with the assistance or under advisement of any foreign government, United States or otherwise.
In this day and age, the terror threat is not restricted to one country, region or continent, hence a mutual cooperation between various governments’ law enforcement agencies and intelligence services working together to combat the terror threat and menace is expected and must be understandable.

It is my understanding that Muslims leaders led by the Secretary-General of the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK), Sheikh Mohamed Dor recently had a meeting with the Defence Minister Njenga Karume regarding this issue where Karume on behalf of the Government agreed to scrutinize the list of seventeen names believed to be Kenyans. In addition, an appropriate committee was formed comprising of the Muslim groups and senior

Government officials to look into this matter.
Muslims are getting very impatient by jumping the gun on the matter. They should give the Minister a chance to take the time to get to the bottom of this matter cautiously. The Government has already agreed to look into the seventeen names they have provided and the Muslim groups are collecting citizenship documents to prove that the individuals are indeed Kenyan citizens. Such sensitive security matter particularly with ever increasing threat of international terrorism cannot be handled like child’s play or a simple political issue. I am confident that, the meeting the Muslim leaders had with the energetic Mzee Karume will bear fruit because it is in the interest of the country to protect its citizens. Muslim leaders and their followers alike must bear in mind that, if the individuals in question are not Kenyans, the authorities had every right to deport them. In addition, if they are indeed terrorists, as the deporting authorities allege, then the individuals have no business running to Kenya for cover. Just because they are Muslims does not give them any right to demand cover from pursuing authorities.

It is against this backdrop that this column does not support the ill-advised move by some Muslim leaders to disrupt the International World Cross-Country sporting event to be held in the seaside port City of Mombasa later this month. The two issues are separate and ought to be treated as so, they cannot and should be tied together.

Here is one reality. The era of the unregistered Islamic Party of Kenya (IPK) rioting in order to be heard and recognised by the international community is over. The September 11, 2001 terrorist act on the American soil changed the world and the whole ball game when it comes to Muslims rioting or being violent, even if they are fighting for a legitimate cause. Any Muslims’ violent act will always be confused to be an act of terrorism and an act of terrorists’ sympathisers or cells of the international terror organisation, better known as Al Qaeda.
Disrupting the sporting event will be a crime punishable under the Kenya law. In addition the riot will not benefit anyone, but will verify the erroneous misconception, and the international community will validate that, Muslims are violent. Furthermore it will legitimise United States’ Government travel advisory warning against traveling to Kenya. Do we really want that? Remember the US Embassy bombing? What about the attempt to shoot a missile the El AI jetliner? And the Kikambala based Paradise Hotel bombing? All these were terrorist acts by a cell in Kenya and continue to affect the county’s reputation.

Our tourism industry will be affected by the disruption. This sporting event is a once in a lifetime opportunity where the country will have the chance to showcase the flourishing tourism industry Kenya has to offer. Many Muslims just like many other Kenyans make their living from the tourism industry. As I have pointed out rioting or demonstrating against the event will not benefit anyone. It will also confirm that, Kenya Muslims to be violent. On one hand, Muslim groups threaten to disrupt the World Cross-Country event and or the other hand they claim that the US travel advisory warning is a ploy to stop tourists from visiting Kenya.
On a separate but related issue, Kenya Muslims should not blame the United States Government for wanting to influence the Kenyan Government in re-introducing the Terrorism Bill. The Bush administration is looking after the Americans interests and I deem there is nothing wrong with that. The Kenya Government or the legislators on their part ought to be looking after their electors’ interests. Muslims groups and other interested groups opposed to the Terrorism Bill who feel that the Bill is wrong should lobby their legislators in an effort to have them shut down the Bill when it comes for legislation and stop it from passing the Bill should it be re-introduced. I am a Muslim myself, but I cannot fault the United States for wanting to influence Kenya on the Bill.

Boldly speaking, the Muslim leaders and the Government both have obligations when it comes to the deportation issue. If the individuals are Kenyans working in Somalia as it is being alleged and they can prove their citizenship then they must be allowed back home. On their part Muslims cannot and should not go through with their threat of disrupting the World Cross-country sporting event no matter what happens. If the individuals are not Kenyans, and are terrorists, they cannot and should not be given refuge.