Muslims to start Holy Month of Ramadhan on Wednesday

Kenya's Chief Kadhi Ahmed Muhdhar

Kenya's Chief Kadhi Ahmed Muhdhar (left) and Mombasa Kadhi Court's Principal Kadhi Habib Salim Vumbi during a press briefing at the Wakf Commission offices in Mombasa on April 12, 2021.

Photo credit: Wachira Mwangi | Nation Media Group

Muslims will start the Holy Month of Ramadhan on Wednesday, the Chief Kadhi Ahmed Muhdhar has announced.

The Chief Kadhi was, however, unable to sight the moon in Mombasa County and other parts of the country. He noted that the moon had been sighted in India and Qatar where they have already announced the start of the holy month.

"We have searched for the moon in Kenya and parts of Tanzania in vain.

We pray for good health, during this time as we start the fasting from April 14, 2021," he said at a press conference at the Wakf Commission Offices in Mombasa on Monday evening

He said that Ramadhan came during the unprecedented times occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic and asked Muslims to obey government restrictions of curfew and follow the Covid-19 protocols even as they fast and pray for an end to the deadly virus.

Principal Kadhi at Mombasa Kadhi's Court, Habib Salim Vumbi, said they had made calls in Moyale, Mandera, Isiolo, Garbatulla, Kakuma, Hola, Garsen, Malindi, Nairobi and Central but the moon has not been sighted.

He noted that the chances of sighting the moon were 50/50 as some Muslims in the country were unsure of which day  it will be seen.