SUPKEM refutes claims linking Huruma mosque to affordable housing project
SUPKEM clarified that it has partnered with development stakeholders to construct modern income-generating infrastructure on a section of the property, while fully preserving the existing mosque and school.
The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) has dismissed allegations that it intends to hand over Huruma land for a government housing project.
The clarification follows claims by Marsabit Senator Mohamed Chute, who alleged that the council planned to demolish a mosque on the property to make way for affordable housing.
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Speaking before the Senate on Wednesday, Mohamed accused SUPKEM of prioritising political and financial interests over religious duties, claims the council rejected as false.
“SUPKEM is no longer only about religious matters; they have become involved in politics. They went to the mosque in Huruma and brought wealthy foreign partners to take over the mosque, claiming they wanted to build affordable housing. How can you build affordable housing on a mosque? You demolish a mosque and a madrassa to build affordable housing?” he posed.
“They even went to the president, claiming to have brought rich Arab partners to destroy the mosque and construct the affordable housing. This SUPKEM must be investigated, and if possible, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) should be involved. Since this senior SUPKEM leader joined, it has become part of politics.”
In response, SUPKEM’s National Chairman, Hassan Ole Naado, termed the senator’s statements “reckless and malicious,” accusing him of using the privileged floor of Parliament to “tell lies, bear false witness and mislead the public” about property that lawfully belongs to the council.
The council said the allegations were not only false but damaging to the institution’s reputation.
Hassan maintained that the land in question was lawfully allocated to SUPKEM for establishing a school, which has existed for decades, making the claims of “land grabbing” illogical.
He also dismissed assertions that the land is community land, noting that urban Nairobi has no registered community land, accusing the senator of either dishonesty or naivety.
“Being a lawmaker, Senator Mohamed must be assumed to know the legal definition of community land and must produce the registration status of such land, if any,” he said.
The Council further clarified that it has partnered with development stakeholders to construct modern income-generating infrastructure on a section of the property, while fully preserving the existing mosque and school.
“Claims by Senator Mohamed that the land has been handed over for the government's affordable housing project are baseless and should be treated with the contempt they deserve because there is no legal provision for such an arrangement,” Hassan said.
The council reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and integrity, warning that it would take all necessary steps to protect its reputation against unjust accusations.
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