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Leaders' fury over arrest of 76Muslim women

Move by the police was brutal, uncalled for and amounted to harassment and violation of rights, says religious official

By PATRICK BEJA

Muslim leaders have criticized the arrest of76 women at a guesthouse in Nairobi.The women were held at the week­end following claims that a human trafficking syndicate was about to take them to Saudi Arabia.

Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (ClPK) Organising Secretary Sheikh Mohamed Khalifa, who re­ceived the women in Mombasa, yes­terday, said the raid amounted to ha­rassment.

"The women explained their mis­sion at the guest house yet were ar­rested and locked them up. We ask the Commissioner of Police to take ac­tion," Khalifa said.

NO JOBS

He said the country had not gen­erated enough jobs and the Govern­ment should help those seeking em­ployment abroad.

One of the women, Ms Fatuma Mohamed; said the women were seek­ing travel documents to work in Saudi Arabia as housemaids,she said she had acted as an agent for Olymptic Manpower Supplies, which sends Kenyans to work in SaudiArabia.

"I worked in Saudi Arabia myself and those we send have to be upright and of good health. We were in Nairo­bi to process the travel documents," she said.

Mohamed led the group back home after they were released from Central Police Station in Nairobi on Monday.She vowed to return to Nairobi to process the travel documents.Another woman, Ms Mariam Hus­sein Omar, complained that they were bundled in four vehicles after the raid and thrown in a crowed cell.

BROKE LOOSE

"We were comfortable at the lodge, but hell broke loose when police raid­ed it," she said.Ms Halirnlshi Bakari 25 said some neighbours had been recruited by the company.

"We got shocked when police sur­rounded us and put us in a single room at the lodge, accusing us of prostitution. We were in Nairobi to get passports to travel to Saudi Arabia," she said.

Ms Halima Idd accused police of sabotaging their effirts to seek em­ployment in Saudi Arabia.She claimed many Kenyan men were working there as drivers and cooks.

They urged the Government to fa­cilitate those seeking employment in other countries, saying they needed to support their families.