Hundreds of Muslim faithful in Malindi held a peaceful demonstration in the town protesting against alleged grabbing of cemetery land at the ginnery.
Carrying placards and singing songs of justice, the faithful together with Haki Africa Civil rights activists marched from the Malindi Municipal stadium to the Deputy County Commissioner’s office demanding action to be taken against two tycoons who are behind the syndicate.
They accused two tycoons of shooting two of their colleagues leaving one with serious injuries while another is still missing to date for defending the over 16 acres of land which is located at riparian land in front of the Muslim cemetery that is reportedly more than 200-years-old.
Angered by the grabbing, attacks, and threats for defending the property from being grabbed the faithful took to the streets to demand action to be taken against the tycoons who are reported to be influential.
Some of the placards they carried had messages of ‘Wanyakuzi Mkifa mzikwe wapi' (grabbers where will you be buried if you die), ‘Makaburi ndio nyumba zetu za mwisho’ (cemetery is our final resting place), ‘Shame on you land grabbers’, ‘we want Shebe back’ among others.
At the Deputy County commissioner’s office, Administration Police offices opened the gates and urged the demonstrators to keep calm.
However, as they waited for the DCC Karungo Kamau to come out and address them, Malindi Officer Commanding Station (OCS) Stephen Mwachia who had come with anti-riot officers wearing full riot gears and tear gas ordered the demonstrators out of the area terming the demonstration an ‘illegal gathering’.
He gave them 10 minutes to leave or face the full force of the law.
“I am giving you 10 minutes to vacate from this area; this is an unlawful gathering,’’ ordered the OCS.
The angry demonstrators began charging and vowed not to leave until their concerns were heard.Another senior officer had to intervene to restore calm until the Deputy County Commissioner came to address them.
They read a memorandum stating their concern on the grabbing of the Muslim cemetery and called for action to be taken immediately.
Mohamed Mbwana one of the activists said such injustices were the ones which force people to join illegal groups to join Alshabaab.
He said one of the defenders of the cemetery land was attacked by a suspect well known by police but still no action has been taken.
“The cemetery is over 200 years old we want action to be taken strongly so as to see an end to this intimidation,’’ he said.
Twahir AbdulKharim a local leader who organized the demonstration said the Malindi Muslim community has been struggling to get an extension of expansion of land given to the cemetery, the mother plot for over 20 years but due to political interference and vested interests of land grabbers but have been unsuccessful.
He said neighbours Lawford's hotel and others were given their extensions while they are still fighting with land grabbers.
“The land grabbers with their political allies have acquired allotment letters and illegal and false title deeds for parcels of the plot. Due to vested interests of this parcels of land we have faced a lot of difficulties,’’ said the Memorandum in part.
Waqf Commission of Kenya the trustees of the cemetery reportedly allowed the youths to manage the land and stop further encroachment.
Abdulkarim said they want the attackers arrested and taken to court to face serious criminal charges and the firearm be withdrawn from him.
Further, he said they wanted the disappearance of one of their own to be investigated and land is given back to them.
The DCC asked them to form a committee so as to begin discussing the matter on Monday next week.
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