The government has donated food worth millions of shillings to Muslims at the Coast during the month of Ramadhan.
Coast Regional Coordinator Nelson Marwa said the government has also contributed dates which will be distributed to the Muslims.
Mr Marwa said the national government had received a consignment of dates at the Mombasa Port which would be distributed to Muslims through mosques across the country.
“We have received dates at the Port of Mombasa which will be distributed to Muslims especially the needy orphans and widows. The government has also donated food to Muslims in Mombasa, Lamu, Kwale, Kilifi, Tana River and Taita Taveta,” said Marwa.
Speaking after donating dates to Imams in Mombasa, Marwa said imams will distribute the food and dates they receive to worshippers through their mosques.
He said the government’s announcement that it will waive duty on dates during the month of Ramadhan to help the Muslim community fulfill their religious obligations in June and July 2016 has already taken effect.
President Uhuru Kenyatta had announced during Madaraka Day that it waive duty on dates during Ramadhan.
The organizing secretary of the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK) Sheikh Mohamed Khalifa who received the donations thanked the government for the donations and the waiver on dates.
“We thank the government for the food and dates we have received. We also ask the government to make the tax waiver for dates an annual directive so that Muslims can benefit during the month of Ramadhan,” said Sheikh Khalifa.