By ERNEST NDUNDA

MOMBASA, KENYA: Civil Societies in Mombasa County criticised the government’s move to close down a Madrassa in Machakos over allegations that it was recruiting youths to join Somalia militant group, Al-Shaabab.

The rights group said that the government’s action was tantamount to infringing the freedom of worship and called on the police to arrest those recruiting youths to join the terror group instead of closing the educational institution.

“If the government has evidence of people recruiting youths to go to Somali, they should arrest and prosecute them and not close down an institution,” said the Executive Director of Coast Women in Development, Ms Betty Sharon.

She said that it was wrong for the government to violate the rights of law abiding citizen because of the few criminals.

Recently the Director of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Ndegwa Muhoro ordered for the closure of a madrassa in Machakos over security reasons.

Muhoro also warned that the government will not hesitate to close down any mosque that will be found engaged in youth radicalisation.

The directive has elicited sharp reaction from the Muslim community especially in Mombasa who have criticised it saying that the government should arrest those radicalising youths and not to close mosques.

Source: Standard Digital