Mombasa Deputy County Commissioner Mahmoud Salim during a security forum in Mombasa. [Photo/ Maxwell Ngala]
Mombasa Deputy County Commissioner Mahmoud Salim has appealed to Muslims clerics in Mombasa to assist police in fighting insecurity in the county.Salim said Muslim clerics in Mombasa should fully participate in all the activities geared towards containing the emergence of juvenile gangs in the county, adding that the issue of security should be a collective responsibility.He said many young people in the county engage in criminal activities instead of attending school.The commissioner said Mombasa County was facing very serious insecurity problems, with school going children engaging in crime.Salim raised concerns over how parents hide their children despite knowing they are involved in criminal activities and endangering other community members.“What do you normally preach in mosques if not touching on the core issue in the society? We are raising a rotten society if we shy away from this security problem,” said Salim.Salim said most of the young people involved in criminal activities were as young as 14 years, and police could not even figure out how to punish them.“A young boy calls himself ‘the giant’ and he is only 14 years old so how will we even punish the little one?” asked Salim.The deputy county commissioner said the issue of juvenile gangs should be tackled by Muslim clerics in their houses of worship.Salim called on Muslim clerics to also focus on the issue of extremism and terrorism among young children.He said the terrorism and extremism issue if not tamed will result in major security problems in the county.On is part, the new SUPKEM chair Yusuf Nzibo promised that the religious organisation will fully support security agents in curbing insecurity in the county.