By Ryan Aliman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa
NAIROBI, Kenya – The murder of Islamic cleric Aboud Rogo Mohammed, popularly known in Kenya as Rogo, sparked riots in Mombasa that began on Monday, August 27.
Identified by the US and the UN as an aide and financier to Somalia’s Al Qaeda-linked Al Shebab militants, Rogo was driving a minibus with his father-in-law, wife and children when he was shot to death by “unknown people”, according to local police. Rogo’s family members reportedly survived the attack.
Upon learning of Rogo’s “targeted assassination”, his supporters began barricading the streets with burning tires in the predominantly Muslim neighborhood of Majengo as they clamored against the alleged “witch-hunt” against Muslims by the Kenyan government. They threw stones and fired machine guns at law enforcers; looted stores; and set ablaze churches. On Tuesday, they detonated a grenade in the area which injured almost a dozen officers and killed five people, including one civilian and three police officers.
The Kenyan police attempted to quell the unrest by retaliating with open fire and by arresting some of the protesters. So far, around 24 people are in detention and are likely to face charges of illegal assembly, arson and destruction of property. Anti-riot forces have also begun to patrol the streets armed with batons, teargas and rifles. In addition, they have ordered local residents to remain in their houses.
A day after Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Keriako Tobiko appointed Assistant Deputy DPP Jacob Ondari to assemble the team that will investigate Rogo’s murder, the National Muslim Leaders Forum (NAMLEF) called for an end to the riots. Despite conceding that the police were behind Rogo’s death and characterizing the cleric’s assassination as an “extra-judicial killing”, the Muslim leaders openly condemned the violence inflicted upon the police and the burning of churches, stating that “Islam did not condone attacks on places of worship”.
Perhaps to avoid aggravating already strained Muslim-Christian relations in the region, Cabinet Minister Najib Balala, a member of the NAMLEF, reminded Rogo’s supporters that, “this is not a war between Muslims and Christians, it is war against crime.”
However, Prime Minister Raila Odinga seemed to disagree with Cabinet Minister Balala. “We suspect the hand of the enemies of our country in this, those who want to create religious animosity. It is an attempt to try create a division between Christians and Muslims in our country so that it appears it is a religious war,” he told reporters.
Foreign embassies, meanwhile, such as those of Australia, Britain and France have issued travel warnings for Mombasa, a popular tourist destination with a major Indian Ocean port.
For further information, please see:
BBC – Kenya Cleric Rogo Riots: Mombasa Death Toll Rises – 29 August 2012
Reuters – Kenya PM Blames Killing of Muslim Cleric on Nation’s Foes – 29 August 2012
The National – Kenyan Police Officers Killed in Mombasa Riots over Imam Death – 29 August 2012
Daily Nation – Muslim Leaders Call for End to Mombasa Riots – 29 August 2012
Arab News – Riots Break Out for 2nd Day in Kenya over Cleric’s Death – 29 August 2012
