The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) has put Attorney General Justin Muturi on the spot over a letter reinstating ousted officials of the body.
A letter dated January 23, 2023, from the Registrar of Societies indicates that Yusuf Abdulrahman Nzibo was still SUPKEM’s Chairman, as per the 2017 records.
The letter formed the basis for Nzibo to claim he is the bonafide National Chairman of SUPKEM, a move that has been met with opposition.
In a press briefing on Friday, the council through its National Deputy Chairman, Sharrif Muhudhar Khitamy said that the ongoing leadership wrangles would not be happening if the attorney General had handled their case appropriately.
"The attorney General is not doing his job. He's enabling unwanted behaviours by Yusuf Abdulrahman Nzibo," he said.
The letter did not capture the names of the current leaders despite SUPKEM having listed Ole Naado as Chairman.
SUPKEM has distanced itself from claims by Nzibo that he is the national chair of the council.
The leaders reiterated their support for their current chairman Ole Naado who they said is the known SUPKEM chairman.
The council said in its statement, that Nzibo has not held any position at SUPKEM since he was ousted in 2019.
"Nzibo unequivocally ceased to hold any office in SUPKEM's ancillary bodies including the Kenya Hajj Mission," Khitamy said.
He clarified that Nzibo was removed from the council on disciplinary grounds and has not been reinstated despite moving to court.
The deputy chairman said that Nzibo's claims that he was the bonafide National Chairman of SUPKEM are false and should be treated as such.
The council also threatened to take legal action against Nzibo citing the Penal Code, the Criminal Procedure Code and Section 24 of the Societies Act.
However, Nzibo and his supporters who wanted to take over the office by office earlier blamed Ole Naado for locking the office and running away with the keys.
They said that Ole Naado is illegally in office, subject to the recent letter from the Registrar of Societies.
"There has been no election since 2017 when I was elected to the office. The organisation has gone down, and many people have suffered, including Hajj Agents," Nzibo said in a press address outside the Supkem office.