20100120
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Nairobi — Senior Muslim clerics on Wednesday declared their intention to sue the state for the colossal damage and death that resulted after last Friday's demonstration in Nairobi.

Already the clerics have contacted a Mombasa based legal firm, Mohammed Balala and Company's Advocates to prepare legal procedures required for the case against Attorney General Amos Wako, Internal Security minister George Saitoti, Nairobi Province PPO Anthony Kibuchi, Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) head Nicholas Kamwede.
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Nominated MP Sheikh Mohammed Dor told Nation on the sidelines of a press conference attended by more than nine Muslims organizations that they will seek damages of millions of shillings following colossal damage of property belonging to Kenyans of different religion.

"We shall compel the government to compensate damages that occurred during the Friday demonstration and we shall not be asking for what happened to Muslims alone but other traders and motorists who lost property during the mayhem," he said.

Separate sources also told Nation that Muslims legislators are also expected to meet over the same at Jamia Mosque in Nairobi and by yesterday most of the members confirmed attending the meeting where they will be briefed on the decision.

The MP said although senior clerics are opposed to further demonstrations in the country, they will not just keep quiet when innocent Kenyans are mourning the death of their loved ones and others brainstorming the way forward after being engulfed into heavy losses.

The AG is being sued for "allowing the police force to target one ethnic community and religion" and thereby threatening nationhood.

"The AG failed to stop the police in applying the laws selectively and failing to make them accountable for attacking Jamia mosque, a place of worship that is regarded as special place in our constitution," said Sheikh Mohammed Khalifa of Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK).

According to the clerics, the AG allowed Mr Saitoti to abuse his ministerial powers by ordering police to conduct raids against the Somali community irrespective of their nationality on the pretext of fighting influx of aliens in the country.

The clerics will pray to the court to force Mr Kamende, as ATPCU head, to stop further persecuting the community on the pretext of fighting terrorism in the country and pay the price for putting several of their community members behind bars without tangible evidence.

"This time round his action, always commanded by foreign embassies in the country against Muslim community will backfire and we shall not seat back as citizens and instead demand what is legitimate in court," he added.

He said the police used excess force and incited non-Muslims against protesting Muslims in Nairobi where the officers were expected to remain impartial in accordance with their "Utumishi Kwa Wote" motto.

Sheikh Zubeir Noor Hussein also said Muslims will field one of their own to run for the presidency in 2012 general election and asked political parties intending to woo the community in the next general election to think twice.

"This time round we shall exploit any possible measures to tell the government that enough is enough and being peace loving community we shall resort to peaceful mechanisms acceptable all over the world," he added.

Muslims for Human Rights(MUHURI) council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya(CIPK)Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) Changamwe and Liwatoni Muslims association,umoja wa waislamu wa Afrika Mashariki(UMUM)Majmau Al Akbab were represented at the joint press conference held at CIPK offices along Jomo Kenyatta Road in Mombasa.