Muslims from North Rift Threaten to Demonstrate Over SUPKEM's Hajj Failure

 

A group of Muslim religious leaders from the North Rift region has come out strongly against the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM), accusing it of gross mismanagement of this year’s Hajj pilgrimage and threatening to stage a peaceful protest march from Eldoret to Nairobi if immediate action is not taken.

Led by Sheikh Abubakar Bini, the Chairman of the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK) in the North Rift, the imams decried the suffering experienced by Kenyan pilgrims in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and called on President William Ruto to personally intervene by directing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to investigate and resolve the matter.

Speaking during a press briefing held in Eldoret, Sheikh Bini expressed disappointment over what he described as "systemic failure and neglect" by SUPKEM, the organization tasked with organizing Hajj services for Kenyan Muslims. He stated that hundreds of returning pilgrims from the Rift Valley and other parts of the country had shared distressing accounts of being housed in tents located far from worship sites, lacking access to food, and experiencing poor coordination on the ground.

“This year’s Hajj was one of the most difficult and humiliating experiences for our people. Women and men who went to Mecca returned in tears. They came to our mosques to complain, saying they felt abandoned and disrespected,” said Sheikh Bini.

He further noted that every pilgrim paid a mandatory $100 (approximately KSh 13,000) to SUPKEM for logistical and support services. With over 4,000 Kenyan pilgrims having traveled for the 2025 Hajj, the total collection exceeds KSh 60 million. Yet, the imams say there was little to show for it in terms of services delivered.

 “Where did the money go? People suffered, they had no food, no proper tents, no guidance. SUPKEM must be held accountable. This is ibada ya Hajj—one of the five pillars of Islam—and it should be treated with the utmost seriousness,” he said.

Sheikh Bini urged the government to take swift action by either reforming SUPKEM or allowing other credible organizations to be licensed and compete in offering Hajj coordination services. He argued that SUPKEM’s monopoly has led to complacency, inefficiency, and lack of transparency.

“If the government is serious about protecting the rights of its Muslim citizens, it must intervene now. Let other agencies be allowed to offer Hajj services so that there is accountability and better delivery,” he added.

Also present at the briefing, Imam Abdulazi Mohammed echoed the concerns, describing the pilgrimage ordeal as heartbreaking. He highlighted that many pilgrims spend years saving up money to attend Hajj, only to face extreme hardship due to poor planning.

“Hajj is not a vacation—it is a sacred journey, a spiritual duty that many prepare for their entire lives. It is sad that our brothers and sisters went to fulfill this obligation only to suffer. They lacked food, shelter, and support on foreign soil, and that is unacceptable,” Imam Abdulazi stated.

He emphasized that the failure of SUPKEM has tainted the country's image and risks discouraging future pilgrims from pursuing the journey, which could amount to the denial of a fundamental religious right.

“If no action is taken, then we will be left with no choice but to walk from Eldoret to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nairobi to make our case directly. We cannot allow this to continue. The government must act now,” he said.

The imams maintained that they are not opposed to government regulation of Hajj services but insisted that the current arrangement gives too much unchecked authority to one body—SUPKEM—without any effective oversight or accountability.

The leaders called for the establishment of a multi-agency framework that includes other Muslim organizations, travel agencies, and religious scholars to oversee the planning and execution of future Hajj operations.

As of now, no formal response has been issued by SUPKEM or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, the mounting pressure from religious leaders and affected pilgrims is expected to spark further debate on the management of Hajj services in Kenya.