• According to Ngondi, the viral video was blown out of context and this has brought a lot of unrest to his family.
• The Nairobi Speaker apologised to the family of the MCA and larger Muslim community over the same.
Image: BRIAN ORUTA
The Speaker of the County Assembly of Nairobi Ken Ng'ondi has apologised to the Muslim community after a viral video of him allegedly forcing a nominated MCA to greet him.
According to Ng'ondi, the viral video was blown out of context and this has brought a lot of unrest to his family.
The Nairobi Speaker apologised to the family of the MCA and the larger Muslim community over the same.
The video believed to be from a birthday party shows the speaker insisting on asking for the hand and hugging the female legislator.
Ng'ondi appreciated the leadership of various Muslim groups at the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (Supkem) offices.
"First is to appreciate the fact that I reached out to the Muslim community especially the leadership after what happened. This is because of the viral video, which went out and was blown out of context.
"I had to make arrangements and made a request to be facilitated by the Muslim organisation so that I'm able to exonerate myself and to sincerely apologise to the family of Abbey who happens to be the father of Hon Fatuma Abdullahi who is a member of the county assembly of Nairobi. My actions have brought a lot of unrest within my family," he said on Thursday.
National Muslim Leaders Forum chairman Abdi Abdullahi said the Speaker's apology has been accepted by all Muslim leaders present at the meeting as well as Fatuma's family members.
He added that they have all forgiven Ng'ondi.
"As Muslims, when somebody apologises we don't go and hit him on the ground we accept the apology. The apology given by the Speaker has been accepted by Muslim leaders who attended this meeting today wholeheartedly, including the father of the girl and all her relatives who are here. They have forgiven the speaker."
Abdullahi, however, warned that Muslim daughters and women must be respected at all times.
He said the dignity of Muslim women is very dear to the hearts of Muslims across the globe and they must be respected.
He noted that because we live in a global village, the video has seen Speaker Ngondi receive threats over it.
"The issue of the dignity of a Muslim woman is very close to the heart of the Muslim community globally. Fortunately or unfortunately we are living in a very small village, whatever happens in Nairobi is known in Australia, New Zealand and Canada."
"That clip has gone around the world and has attracted a lot of negative responses and threats to the speaker himself, not by intention. As a Muslim community, we want our daughters and women to be respected," Abdullahi said.