Outcry as Kilifi madrasas turned into sexual abuse dens
Some Madrassa in Kilifi have been turned into child abuse dens.
What you need to know:
- Kenya Muslim Youth Alliance (Kimya) chairperson Ustadh Mahamood Hambal said sexual exploitation has become rampant in madrasas.
- Kilifi North Sub-County police boss Kenneth Maina said the matter was under investigation, and confirmed that the ODPP had rejected some complaints.
Reports that some madrassa in Kilifi have been turned into sexual abuse dens have sparked outrage, even as it emerged that some Muslim leaders have been concealing the cases to prevent justice for the victims in the name of protecting the image of their region.
In an interview with Nation.Africa, Kenya Muslim Youth Alliance (Kimya) chairperson Ustadh Mahamood Hambal said sexual exploitation has become rampant in madrasas. “Sometimes teachers are reported to sexually exploit children while in other incidents it is among children. But different authorities do not handle the cases with the seriousness they deserve,” he said.
Mr Hambal, a human rights activist, said the journey for Muslim activists to fight for the rights of sexual and gender-violence (SGBV) victims is a matter of life and death, given the move by a section of leaders to defend the image of the religion.
“We condemn sexual exploitation in madrasas and have always advocated justice for the victims through the legal procedure, but sometimes there is a lot of resistance to the cases because some people always want to use their money, leadership powers and influence to conceal them.”
He cited a Malindi case where an ustadh (madrasa teacher) was accused of molestation. Even so, a section of leaders opposed the move to have him arrested and charged, to protect the image of the religion. “We stood firm to fight for justice for the victim and we welcomed the decision by the court to jail the perpetrator for life.”
He said some leaders in the Muslim fraternity were afraid of speaking against sexual abuse in the madrasa for fear of intimidation and losing their jobs. “As Muslim activists, we are torn between intimidation, threats to life, and standing for the truth. Some leaders are good at intimidating madrasa teachers and they would recommend they get sacked or transferred to conceal the cases,” he said.
An ustadh gets a minimum salary of Sh10,000 and a maximum of Sh15,000, while some earn between Sh3,000 and Sh5,000. “Many teachers have bowed to threats and intimidations for fear of losing their jobs,” he added.
Mr Hambal, however, added that some Muslim leaders and activists have taken the lead in condemning SGBV in madrasas and society. He said even after engaging in sexual abuse of minors, the madrasa teachers always move to seek employment in other places as they continue to exploit more children. He termed that irresponsible and undisciplined.
The religious leader challenged the leadership of madrasas to interrogate the people they employ and get their background information before offering them jobs. “All madrasa teachers seeking employment should produce recommendation letters from their previous institutions, stating the reasons for their transfers. It should not be the case where they are allowed to work because of their rich educational background or they know how to conduct prayers,” he added, calling upon the police to refuse corrupt deals and be in the lead to ensure the victims get justice.
A Kilifi anti-gender violence champion Mumina Alaso from Prison/Kiwandani village said most madrasa teachers are “wolves in sheep skin with a history of sexual abuse”. She cited an incident where one teacher lived with three girls and his wife, only for the community to learn that he was sexually abusing the girls.
“Parents have always trusted the madrasa teachers because they allow them to be with their children. We did not know the ustadh was a predator until when he left the madrasa and moved to Mitangoni in Kilifi South where he defiled two girls,” she said.
On November 16, 2018, while sentencing a madrasa teacher for molestation, Malindi Principal Magistrate Silivia Wewa said such cases were rampant and urged residents to report them for legal action. She said a probation report revealed many unreported sodomy cases.
In a recent incident, a girl from the Kilifi Educational Centre, famously known as Khairat Madrasa in Kilifi town, walked to the Kilifi Police Station and reported rampant exploitation by an ustadh. The 14-year-old and her friend reported that their madrasa teacher had been molesting them.
The girls were from two primary schools in Kilifi township but attended the Khairat Educational Centre for madrasa classes. The suspect, aged 38, was arrested on the same day and released after some hours on a Sh20,000 police bond.
ODPP on the spot
The girls’ parents were shocked to be informed that the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) had advised the police to close the file as the report by the children did not amount to sexual offenses as captured by the Sexual Offenses Act. They expressed their disappointment at how the ODDP handled the matter and termed it a scheme to protect the teacher and the image of the madrasa.
One of the parents said the police informed her they had closed the matter. “It has been over one month since my daughter reported the matter, and no action was taken against the perpetrator because the police arrested him and later released him some hours later. However, the investigation officer informed me that they had concluded their investigations, even recorded the complainant and witness statement, although the Director of Public Prosecutions asked them not to charge the suspect,” she said.
According to the mother, the daughter revealed that the ustadh always caressed them. “The child could not hold the sexual abuse anymore and reported the perpetrator to his seniors, but they did not take immediate action and she walked to the police to report,” she said.
The mother said she was shocked that her daughter did not inform them and opted to go straight to the police. “Our children have been suffering in silence. The reason my daughter decided to act even without informing us, parents, was that she couldn’t believe anybody but the law.”
Another parent disclosed that her daughter would refuse to go to the madrasa but could not state why. “I could force my daughter to go to the madrasa, but she did not disclose that the ustadh was abusing them.”
One victim disclosed in an interview that most children are afraid of the ustadh and could not dare speak about the incidents as he would punish them heavily. “All disciplinary cases like failure to recite the Quran, absenteeism, and failure to attend Maulid events are reported to the ustadh who beats us on the shoulders using a sisal rope,” she said.
The minor disclosed that she reported the matter before the start of the 2023 Ramadhan. “I told a lady teacher that the ustadh was molesting us, and she said there was nothing she could do and that she would inform her senior to address it. However, none of them intervened. The ustadh continued molesting us,” she said.
Kilifi North Sub-County police boss Kenneth Maina said the matter was under investigation. “A minor went to the Kilifi police station and reported that she had been sexually assaulted by her madrasa teacher for a long time. Two more children came out with similar complaints,” he said.
The children were aged between 10 and 13.
Mr Maina confirmed that the DPP had directed them not to charge the suspect. He said that on June 22, the DPP responded to a letter by the Kilifi Officer Commanding Station for directions on the matter. The DPP’s letter said the minors had complained of being touched on the hands, legs, and hips, and these were not sexual violations, Mr Maina added. “The DPP said there was no evidence to charge the ustadh according to Sexual 2(a) of the Sexual Offences Act,” he said, adding that it is challenging to trace madrasa teachers as they are not under the Teachers Service Commission.
A senior Muslim elder, who sought anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, said the teacher had been warned severely against sexually abusing the girls. “The perpetrator is ignorant. The girls reported him to his seniors who warned him against sexually abusing the minors, but he continued.”
Nation.Africa established that some years back, Muslim leaders in Kilifi closed down the madrasa over rampant sexual abuse. In a repeated incident, they halted the classes for some days after the recent case. The elders replaced madrasa teachers to protect the children.
