Preaching politics: Islam and Christianity on the Kenya coast

ABSTRACT

Focusing on the Kenya coast, this article analyses the developing contrast between the place of Islam and Christianity in public politics. It argues that Islam’s association with criticism of the political order contrasts with Christianity, but that this is not the result of inherent difference between the religions. Both have previously provided a language, and space, for political commentary and activism in Kenya. The contrast is rather the contingent result of particular circumstances in Kenya. Christianity has become increasingly associated with affirming clientelism and the accumulation of wealth in a way which is avowedly non-political but in practice legitimates the current political order. Meanwhile, although individual Muslims are more likely to enjoy high political office than was previously the case, Muslims are also more likely to locate their experience as symptomatic of a wider pattern of exclusion in Kenya and link this sense of local injustice to global inequalities.

KEYWORDS:

• Islam
• Christianity
• Kenya
• politics
• conflict
• dissent

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to their respondents, the British Academy, Pwani University, Mohammed Karega, Mwaita Mwinyiusi, Rishadi Rajab, Khamis Mohammed, Ngala Chome and the British Institute in East Africa.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Gregory Deacon has recently concluded a British Academy Postdoctoral Research fellowship in African Studies and a Junior Research Fellowship at St Antony’s College. His work looks at Kenyan, Pentecostal Christianity, its socio-economic role and political evolution.

George Gona is Senior Lecturer in History, Peace and Conflict Studies at University of Nairobi, Kenya. His current research is on biography as space around which public issues are articulated and the histories of the underground movement in Kenya.

Hassan Mwakimako is Senior Lecturer in Islamic Studies at Pwani University. His research is located in the interface between Islam and its relations with the state during the colonial and post-colonial period in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Justin Willis is professor in History at Durham University. His current research is principally concerned with ideas of legitimate authority, and elections, in eastern Africa.

Notes

1. ‘MRC Pastor afanya mkutano ndani ya kanisa’, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhcE3_ImTeE. October 4, 2012.

2. “Kizito Tells Off Mudavadi Critics.” The Star, May 16, 2012; “There is No Rift in Jubilee Over Posts, Says Ruto.” The Standard, December 9, 2013.

3. “Kalonzo Supports Muthaura Over Raila in Law Review Row.” The Standard, December 6 2009; “We Shall Not Gag Media – Ruto.” The Star, November 4, 2013.

4. “Kalonzo Attacks Jubilee Over Jobs.” The Star, December 17, 2013; “VP Kalonzo Says ID Card Processing to be Normalised Soon.” The Star, July 26, 2011; “CORD Says County Cash be Made Law.” The Star, September 9, 2013; “I Don’t Need to be in the House – Kalonzo.” The Star, May 14, 2013; “This is Going to be a Crucial Week, says Kalonzo.” The Star, March 14, 2014; “VP Kalonzo Hits Out at Ruto Over Mutunga.” The Star, May 24, 2011.

5. “NCCK Warns Uhuru, Ruto Over Hague.” The Star, February 14, 2013; “Clerics Say It is Too Late to Stop Uhuru.” The Star, February 15, 2013.

6. “Kalonzo still Keen on G7 Deal.” The Standard, November 5, 2012; “Jubilee Hold Extensive Campaigns at North Rift.” The Star, February 11, 2013; “Kenyans are the Real Pollsters, says Kenneth.” The Star, January 14, 2013.

7. “I’ll Overcome Hurdles, says Ruto.” Daily Nation, August 19, 2012; “Mudavadi Dismisses Raila Plea.” The Star, August 26, 2012.

8. “Final prayers for Uhuru, Ruto.” Citizen TV. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKIXvOHIYOE. April 4, 2011; “G7 Ngong Prayer Rally.” Citizen TV. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZiRPQb-6Rg. February 11, 2012; “G7 Rallies Head to Kisii and Kericho.” The Star, March 29, 2012; “Presidential Hopefuls Heighten Campaigns.” The Star, May 11, 2012; “Ruto Hosts Uhuru at His Turbo Home.” The Star, March 25, 2013.

9. “Zaccheus Ooth, Archbishop of Kisumu, Speaking in Catholic Church Condemns ‘Prayer Rallies’.” NTV Kenya. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUuJUcKg370. May 3, 2012.

10. “Ambassador Bellamy Visits Coast Province.” Wikileaks. http://www.wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/06NAIROBI919_a.html. March 1, 2006.

11. Constitutional petition No. 4 of 2010, at http://www.kenyalaw.org/caselaw/cases/view/70143/, viewed February 7, 2014.

12. See also “Balala Challenges Opposition on Unity.” Daily Nation, June 27, 1994.

13. “Why is Balala on the Warpath?” Sunday Nation, March 28, 1993.

14. “Stay in on Monday, IPK Urges Kenyans.” Daily Nation, September 15, 1993.

15. See also “Defiant Maitha Freed on Bail, Attacks Balala.” Daily Nation, June 1, 1993.

16. “Two Killed as Fighting Rages On.” Daily Nation, September 10, 1993.

17. “Mombasa trader on al-Shabaab charges.” The Star, January 28, 2011.

18. See, for example, “Hague’s Visit to Kenya is to Consolidate British Imperialism in Kenya.” Hizb ut-Tahrir East Africa. http://www.hizb-eastafrica.com/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29:hagues-visit-to-kenya-is-to-consolidate-british-imperialism-in-kenya&catid=31:press-release&Itemid=128.

19. “The Council of Imamas and Preachers of Kenya.” http://islaminafrica.wordpress.com/category/local-islamic-associations-and-organizations/cipk-the-council-of-imams-and-preachers-of-kenya-c-i-p-k/. April 7, 2010.

20. “Imams Criticize Detention of Jamaican Cleric.” The Standard, January 4, 2010.

21. “Deadly Protests.” The Standard, January 16, 2010.

22. “Muslim Leaders Disagree Over Cleric’s Woes.” The Standard, January 13, 2010.

23. See also “Chaos as Rogo is Murdered.” The Star, August 28, 2012; “Ukunda Muslim Preacher Shot Dead.” The Star, December 7, 2013.

24. “Mosque that Aboud Rogo Preached sought to Ban Lectures They Say radicalize Youth.” The Standard, October 24, 2013.

25. “Armed Youths Raid Mosque in Mombasa.” The Star, November 30, 2013; “Police Tracking Radical Youth Who Attacked Imam.” The Star, March 15, 2014.

26. “Bishop Says Coast Needs Managers.” The Star, January 9, 2013.

27. “Jubilee Pledges to Bring Reforms, Democracy.” The Standard, January 28, 2013; “MPs: We’ll Reject Mutunga, Baraza in Parliament.” The Standard, May 16, 2011; “Riot Confident of a ‘Red Card’ Win.” The Standard, July 5, 2010.

28. “I am Not Engaged in Hate Speech as Claimed – Ruto.” The Star, February 6, 2012.

29. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT73bgb6LY8, viewed February 7, 2014.

30. Post by Ferdinand Owen: http://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=468572126534472&id=215892765135744. January 13, 2013.

31. “Churches Demand Apology Over Attacks.” The Star, August 29, 2012.

32. “Governor Hopefuls Assure Christians of Protection.” The Standard, February 4, 2013.

33. See for example “What Should be Done: Change Leaders or Change the System?” Hizb ut-Tahrir East Africa, http://www.hizb-eastafrica.com/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=554:what-should-be-done-change-leaders-or-the-system&catid=31&Itemid=128. December, 27 2012.

34. “Who is Better in Judgment than Allah?” Hizb ut-Tahrir East Africa. http://www.khilafah.com/index.php/analysis/africa/15721-who-is-better-in-judgment-other-than-allah. April 5 2013.

35. “Scholars on Muslims Participating in Voting.” Friday Bulletin, March 1, 2013.

36. “Two Killed in Mombasa Masjid Musa Fighting.” The Star, February 3, 2014.

37. “Lobby Warns Rebels Following Polls, New Officials Take Office.” The Standard, January 19, 2015.

38. “Coast Leaders Say They have Sufficient Evidence to Take Action Against the State for Masjid Musa Raid.” The Standard, February 10, 2014.

39. “Explain Attack on Church, Says Cleric.” The Star, October 7, 2013; “Lenku Meets Mombasa Leaders Over Insecurity.” The Star, October 19, 2013; “Clergymen Raise Concerns Over Spate of Attacks on Churches, Priests.” The Standard, October 22, 2013; “Suspected Terrorists Kill Four People at Mombasa Church.” The Standard, March 24, 2014.

40. “Suspected Terrorists Kill Four People at Mombasa Church.” The Standard, March 24, 2014; “Death Toll in Eastleigh Blast Rises to Six.” The Standard, April 1, 2014; “Security Crackdown: Police Questioning Hundreds Arrested in Eastleigh Swoop.” Daily Nation, April 8, 2014.

41. “Police Issue Shoot to Kill Order on Terrorism Suspects.” The Standard, March 26, 2014.

42. “Fury Over Shoot to Kill Order.” “Concern Over Harassment of Likoni Residents.” Friday Bulletin, March 28, 2014; “Muslim Leaders Criticize Security Swoop as Coast Remains Calm.” Daily Nation, April 6, 2014.

43. “Kenyan Institutions Linked to Terror Have Less than Five Days to Clear Their Names.” The Standard, April 13, 2015.

44. “Al-Shabaab Releases Chilling Video about Mpeketoni Attack.” The Standard, March 9, 2015.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the British Academy under the International Mobility Programme; and Gregory Deacon’s work was supported by the British Academy under the Postdoctoral Research Fellows programme.