Muslim congregants at Tala Jamia Mosque in Matungulu Sub-county, Machakos County, are calling for the removal of Imam Abdikadir Ahmed, accusing him of immoral behaviour and financial misconduct. The worshippers allege that Imam Ahmed has been sexually abusing women and misappropriating mosque funds.
“According to our Muslim faith, anyone guilty of sexual immorality should not be allowed to lead the faithful, and we request Jamia Mosque to appoint a new Imam,” one of the congregants stated. A female worshipper also shared that Sheikh Ahmed had been sexually exploiting women for a prolonged period, causing many to feel unsafe attending prayers.
Another member of the mosque detailed several financial misdeeds by the Imam, including the misuse of funds intended for the purchase of water taps, food for madrasa children, contributions for a burial ground case, and a donation from area MP Stephen Mule intended for buying a goat.
In his defence, Abdikadir Ahmed dismissed the allegations, stating that the members have no authority to remove him since they did not appoint him—only Jamia Mosque has that power. He claimed to have served the mosque since 1992 and accused certain individuals of orchestrating his removal for personal gain. “There are fraudsters trying to deceive the Muslim faithful for their own benefit, but they cannot remove me as they did not bring me here. Only Jamia Mosque has the authority to do so,” said Mr. Ahmed.