CLERICS AT THE COAST

By EMMANUEL BOAZ

Coast Interfaith Council of Clerics (CICC) yesterday resolved to use events within the calendars to promote peaceful cohesion in Mombasa. The clerics have also resolved to attend each other`s festivals as an Inter-Faith venture. This is with the motive of restoring peace in Mombasa. The media was also urged to consider the Supreme Council of Kenyan Muslims (Supkem), Council of Imams and Preachers in Kenya (CIPK), CICC, Hindu Council and Mombasa Church (MCF) as the organs to give the official religious position because they have been consistent in condemning the recent violence in Mombasa. Furthermore, the clerics advised their followers not to heed to provocation and divisive preaching of extremists in all religions who use houses of worship to propagate their misguided ideologies. The religious leaders added that the public is skeptical about the outcome effectiveness and outcome about the establishment of a team to investigate the death of Sheikh Aboud Rogo by the Director of Public Prosecution. However, they called out to anyone with evidence to cooperate with investigation team and demand that the report be made public within the scheduled time. The public was requested to heed to the National Cohesion and Integration Act Articles 13 and 62 regarding hate speech and incitement. It was also noted that the FM stations should also be prudent in their reporting and in their live talk shows many of which are not helping to reduce tension in Mombasa. “The government has to honor its part of the deal by quickly and promptly keeping its promise and duty to compensate and repair those churches that were destroyed in last week`s violence because it has an obligation to protect the lives and property of its citizens,” the CICC chairman Fr. Wilybard Lagho said. The Clerics in Mombasa were speaking under the auspices of the Coast Inter-Faith Council of Clerics together with the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC). The CICC will establish a hotline to report hate speech and incitement to violence. A rapid response team (RRT) is also to be established within CICC to monitor and respond to any religious or political tension. Fr. Lagho added that the CICC is determined to maintain the spirit of respect and harmony in the coastal religion for it has always been a diverse, cosmopolitan multi-ethnic and multi-religious area.