By John Njenga
For the last one decade or so, Mombasa’s populous constituency Kisauni has maintained a dubious distinction of the most crime prone area in the county inhabited by a majority Muslim population.
As the clock ticks furiously towards the forthcoming August general election, Muslim leaders eyeing various leadership positions want to change this perception that has seen area residents suffer economically as well as socially.
A new visitor to Kisauni, you will also not fail to come across pick-ups ferrying people and property leaving the area. Actually, for in the past few months, it has become inhabitable.
The formerly populous estates in the constituency mostly inhabited by the Swahili Arab community and upcountry people that include Mwandoni, Barsheba, Mlaleo and Mshomoroni are now almost shadow pales of themselves.
The upcountry people have been leaving in droves to other safer estates after suffering under the hands of the vicious criminal gangs whose names keep mutating. Today it is Wakali Wao, tomorrow Wakali Kwanza. This migration has economically impacted adversely on the host community in terms of loss of rent revenue.
“We want to completely change our Muslim youth in Kisauni. We want these criminal gangs to be history. As part of this effort, I have launched an initiative dubbed Elimu Kwanza (Education First) targeting the youthful members of these gangs. I have teamed up with Imams and other religious leaders as we step up efforts to convince our youth to embrace education,” Ali Mbogo a businessman eying the Kisauni parliamentary seat told The Plu in an interview in Mombasa.
Mbogo who is in the Wiper party is convinced that only education can redeem the youth from the shackles of crime and drugs abuse among other vices. He says that over the past few months, he has been organizing seminars and meetings to talk to the youth about the issue.
“Majority of them are engaging in crime due to joblessness which is a result of lack of education. I am happy because of the support I have received so far from various leaders of the Mombasa Muslim community. It is a tall order but we shall overcome,” he says.
Apart from Mbogo, many aspiring candidates for various seats in the county are promising to tackle insecurity as one of the key priority areas. Majority of them want the security docket devolved to be handled by the county government.
Senator Hassan Omar a former human rights activist currently seeking the Mombasa gubernatorial seat opines that it is high time; county chiefs are allowed to collaborate with county commissioners to tackle the security threat.
“Shooting the youth indiscriminately is not a solution for there are ways to rehabilitate them that can work. But we as leaders also need to address the question of poverty first. Parents also need to give their children proper guidance to deter them from sinking into crime,” the senator explains.
Muslim leaders men and women alike call for a bold campaign to sensitize and educate the youth of Kisauni who are seemingly wallowing in a state of hopelessness.
“What they need is guidance and counseling. The government both national and county should also initiate income generating projects targeting youth and the women. Religious leaders should also step up their role of molding the society to be Allah fearing” said Zubeda Farid a local Muslim women leader
Alamin Siwa Somo who owns prominent Mombasa housing agent firm- Shekha Enterprises- says he has suffered poor business over the recent years as tenants leave Kisauni in droves due to insecurity. He says the problem has been compounded by local politicians who bail out suspects once they are arrested by police.
“As a businessman, I have tried my part in employing several youth in my firm. But individual efforts are not enough. I am glad that those vying for political seats have identified crime as a key area that needs to be urgently addressed. There is still a lot of hope for Muslim youth in Mombasa in spite of the negative reports you see in the media. What is required is only commitment and trust in Allah,” he adds.
