The Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA-Kenya) has called out Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) George Magoha to take personal responsibility for his utterances and resign from public office.
This comes after Magoha allegedly profiled a female Muslim journalist as a possible Al-Shabaab representative.
FIDA-Kenya stated should Magoha fail to apologise, they will petition relevant institutions to institute disciplinary actions against him.
“Magoha’s utterances resulted in pure discrimination and a violation of human rights contrary to and prohibited by Article 27 (4) of the Constitution.
"We demand that he makes a public apology to the journalist. FIDA-Kenya also demands that CS Magoha takes personal responsibility for his utterances and resign from public office failure to which FIDA-Kenya will petition relevant institutions to institute disciplinary actions against the CS,” the body said in a statement.
Magoha under fire
The federation said that Magoha classifying the journalist as part of the militia group is wrong because not every Muslim is a terrorist.
They have called for respect and co-existence especially as the country heads to the general election in a few days.
“Article 32 of the Constitution guarantees the freedom of conscience, religion, belief, and opinion. Mutual respect, interfaith harmony, and peaceful co-existence are critical tenets required in the Country, which are only attainable where everyone is free to practice their rituals and dorn dressing that displays their religions or beliefs freely,” they added.
While addressing the media on Monday, July 25, 2022, the CS asked the journalist: “Who are you representing? If you are representing Al Shabaab, I will not answer you."
On Wednesday the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) asked the National Cohesion and Integration Council (NCIC) to sermon the CS over his remarks.
The remarks caused uproar online forcing the Muslim community to react.
"The remarks annoyed us especially because they came from a respectable person like the CS. We were used to hearing such remarks from people like touts and layabouts to our girls in Hijabs.
"But if a minister makes such remarks, we are giving him a seven-day ultimatum to issue a public apology across all media outlets or we will hold nationwide demonstrations to force his resignation," Chair of the Council of Imams and Preachers in Uasin Gishu County Sheikh Abubakar Bini said.
