Chaos over Rogo’s shooting threatens peaceful elections

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Unidentified gunmen sprayed bullets into Mr Rogo’s car on Monday last week, killing the man accused by both Kenya and the United States of helping Al-Qaeda-linked Islamist militants in Somalia.
Mr Rogo’s supporters fought running street battles with security forces in the hours after his death, and sporadic violence continued over the following days. Churches were torched and two grenades were thrown at police vehicles. At least five people were killed.
Muslims, who predominate in many neighbourhoods of the country’s second largest city, blamed the authorities for the cleric’s killing, and said it was part of a campaign against their community and faith.
Rogo had built up a loyal base of supporters in parts of Mombasa, with many of his sermons posted online and on social media. The riots broke out as word of the killing spread through Kisauni and another neighbourhood, Majengo, Rogo’s own backyard.
Prime Minister Raila Odinga said it was clear the violent reaction to Rogo’s killing was organised. He blamed the country’s enemies for seeking to “create religious animosity”.

The killing of Muslim cleric Aboud Rogo in Mombasa last week and the riots that followed have exposed deep political divides that could unleash more violence ahead of next year’s elections.

Unidentified gunmen sprayed bullets into Mr Rogo’s car on Monday last week, killing the man accused by both Kenya and the United States of helping Al-Qaeda-linked Islamist militants in Somalia.

Mr Rogo’s supporters fought running street battles with security forces in the hours after his death, and sporadic violence continued over the following days.

Churches were torched and two grenades were thrown at police vehicles. At least five people were killed.

Muslims, who predominate in many neighbourhoods of the country’s second largest city, blamed the authorities for the cleric’s killing, and said it was part of a campaign against their community and faith.

They said the outpouring of fury was a natural response, both to the shooting and to decades of political and economic marginalisation in an area where shanty towns cluster in squalor alongside luxurious white sand beach resorts.

“We youth from the Coast don’t have anything to show, no jobs - yet other people get employed daily at the port. All they have brought us here is drugs to kill us slowly,” he said. “I will riot. They can shoot us dead if they wish.”

Ahmed Yahya, a 27-year-old butcher, recalled how rage coursed through him when the news of the cleric’s killing reached the mosque where he was praying in Mombasa’s Kisauni district. He and other worshippers poured into the streets.

Rogo had built up a loyal base of supporters in parts of Mombasa, with many of his sermons posted online and on social media. The riots broke out as word of the killing spread through Kisauni and another neighbourhood, Majengo, Rogo’s own backyard.

“The sheikh challenged us to be real Muslims, by word and deed, ready to do anything, even die to defend our religion,” said Yahya.

Phyllis Muema, who runs a community group operating programmes for unemployed youth, said: “The Coast faces historical injustices such as limited job opportunities, and this has led people to believe this government is against Islam.”

In Kisauni and Majengo, youths idle in the streets lined by dilapidated housing and open gutters. Unemployment is rampant; so is drug addiction.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga said it was clear the violent reaction to Rogo’s killing was organised. He blamed the country’s enemies for seeking to “create religious animosity”.

“Why deliberately attack churches? That must be part of an organised reaction. Where did the grenades come from? It confirms our worst fears that there is a serious underground organisation conducting this,” Mr Odinga said.