THE STANDARD
NATIONAL
Muslims pray during Eid-Ul-Fitri at Tononoka Grounds in Mombasa to mark the end of Ramadhan. [Robert Menza, Standard]
A section of Muslims defied the Chief Kadhi, Sharif Ahmed Muhdhar and yesterday celebrated Idd Ul Fitr, a festival that marks the end of Ramadhan, a month-long fasting period.
On Wednesday night, Muhdhar said the Hilal (moon crescent) had not been sighted in Kenya or Tanzania and urged Muslims to fast on Thursday to complete the prescribed 30 days of Ramadhan.
In Mombasa, Catholic Archbishop Martin Kivuva and Anglican Church Bishop Alphonso Mwaro Baya joined Muslim clerics for the celebrations at Masjid Swalihina in Kisauni.
THE STANDARD
RAMADHAN SPECIAL
Sheikh Abdi Issak preaching to Muslim faithful at Jamia mosque in Kisumu County on April 13, 2021. (Collins Oduor, Standard)
Muslims observe a fast in the holy month of Ramadhan. It is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, also known as the
hijri.
During fasting, believers are required to abstain from eating, drinking or having sex with their spouses from dawn to dusk for 29 or 30 days, depending on the sighting of the moon.
But when does Ramadhan actually begin?
Some Muslims started fasting yesterday, which would be Ramadhan 1st, even though there was no report of a moon sighting in Kenya. However, a new moon was seen in other countries, including Saudi Arabia.
THE STANDARD By
Patrick Beja |
April 5th 2021 at 00:00:00 GMT +0300
Kisauni lawmaker Ali Mbogo (second left) with Dock Workers Union (DWU secretary general Simon Sang (behind Mbogo) and Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI) officer Francis Auma (left) as they led union members to protest against the government s plans to privatize the second container terminal on June 7, 2019. [Gideon Maundu, Standard]
From slashed overtime to privatisation of some operations, unionisable dockworkers at the Port of Mombasa are yearning for change as they scout for a strong representative in the forthcoming elections.
One of the issues that have dominated the campaigns for next month’s polls is the plan by the government to place container terminal 2 under a private operator.