The Faithful decked in fine robes and dresses conducted early morning prayers at Kakuma football field
On the 15th October, 2013, the Muslims in Kakuma gathered at an open football field to celebrate Id-ul-adha. This Id, also known as Id-ul-Hajji or the “Festival of Sacrifice”, is one of the major celebrations in the Muslim calendar that comes after the completion of the Pilgrimage at Mecca the Holy City.
The earlier one was Id-Ul-Fitri which is celebrated at the end of fasting in the Holy month of Ramadhan by Muslims worldwide.
“We are very happy to reach this day, we’ve bought plenty of food and fresh fruits for my family though they’re expensive to constitute with the Food Aid,” said Ibrahim Abdullahi at the prayer field.
In Kakuma 1 refugee camp market there was sharp business as the shoppers sought for food, clothes and drinks. The day was marked with a lot of happiness, kindness and love.
“Id is a great day. We should be sharing whatever we have with the most vulnerable and needy members of the community,” urged a Sheikh at a mosque in Kakuma 1.
The Muslim leaders in Kakuma have urged the Muslim refugees, especially the youths, to be of good behavior following the government crackdown restricting movements of refugees in the country.
Heightened security was experienced in Kakuma Camp as the police arrested terror suspects and illegal migrants after the Westgate Mall attack in Nairobi by Al-Qaeda affiliated terrorist group Al-Shabaab who claimed responsibility for the deadly attack.
In speaking with KANERE journalists, some Muslim leaders have expressed their concern that, the refugees support the Kenyan effort to eliminate Al-Shabaab in Somalia. Thousand of Somali refugees have claimed persecution and unlawful killings that were imposed by Al-Shabaab where it is in power in Somalia, which made them to seek refuge in Kenya.
The leaders stated that, Somali migrants who are refugees should not be targets for harassment by police. The refugees deserved protection from both the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the Kenyan Government. “We know and everyone knows that Al-Shabaab is a terrorist group and terrorists are to be eliminated all over the world,” said a Muslim leader speaking anonymously.
At least five persons who are registered refugees of Somali origin were arrested by the anti-terror police unit in Kakuma Camp. From Kakuma 3 section an Imam who is also a prominent Sheikh was among those who were flown to Nairobi by police in what the anti-terror police officers termed as further interrogations.