About 400 Muslim clerics in the Coast region have declared
they will support President Uhuru Kenyatta's re-election bid.
They had earlier promised to declare the coalition they will
support in the August 8 general election.
The clerics, including Imams and Madrassa teachers under the
Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya, called on all Muslims in the country
to vote for Uhuru.
They said they will use their great influence to convince
the over 10 million Muslims in the country to vote for Jubilee.
Speaking after a meeting at the Baluchi Hall in Mombasa, the
religious leader said Kenya is safer with Uhuru at the helm than with any other
leader.
They said he has shown great love for Muslims and Coast
people by appointing most of them to the cabinet, ambassadorial and other
influential positions.
"We have no choice but to reciprocate," CIPK
national chair Sheikh Abdalla Ateka said.
Ateka said they will cover every inch of the vast Coast
region to campaign for the President who is running with DP William Ruto.
From the Coast, the leaders said they will move to North
Eastern, Western and other parts of the country.
CIPK national organising secretary Sheikh Mohamed Khalifa said
the President has shown the region nothing but kindness despite not getting 100
per cent votes in 2013.
CIPK supported Uhuru that year.
"He put that aside and brought a lot of development
through roads and other infrastructure," Sheikh Khalifa said.
He added that no other government has shown the Coast region
more love than the Jubilee government.
Sheikh Khalifa noted the Jubilee government has two CSs from
the Coast and four CSs who are Muslims in general.
"We have four PSs from the Coast and six Muslim PSs in
general. Five ambassadors are from the Coast and over 10 ambassadors are
Muslims," he said.
"This shows Uhuru and DP Ruto have recognised us as
Coast people and as Muslims."
The clerics also said the recognition of the Makonde and
Asian communities as Kenya’s 43rd and 44th tribes is a statement that Uhuru
wants Kenyans to unite.
"That is what a true leader should be advocating for.
That is why we will go all out to seek votes for Uhuru and Ruto," Sheikh
Khalifa said.
