Muslim religious leaders in Garissa have complained against what they have called haphazard arrests of Members of Muslim community that include Madarasa teachers and Imams. Addressing a press conference in Garissa Town on Wednesday Garissa SUPKEM Chairman Abdullahi Salat said that masked soldiers are storming residents' homesteads and arresting parents in front of their children.
This follows the release of Imam Abdullahi Khalifa whom he said had been detained for two weeks and was only released after his family went to court to demand his release. "Maintaining security in the region does not mean abduction. The security agents here have a tendency of seeing Al Shabaab in every Somali or Muslim", said Salat.
The Chairman who was with other Imams from Garissa also wants the curfew imposed in the area and other four counties lifted saying it is affecting them negatively. The Imams have also appealed to government workers especially teachers and doctors to resume duty.
"Our children in schools are losing out, hospitals have no medical staffs. Let the government do something", he said.