Ban on Muslim brotherhood fuels fear of scrutiny of Muslims

Concerns are growing over the ramifications of the recent decision to proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. The Egyptian-based organization better known by its Arabic name as Ikhwanul Muslimun was declared as a criminal organization alongside Hizbul at Tahrir by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.

On Sunday during the fundraiser for the people of Gaza, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary General Hassan Omar faulted the move by Murkomen, saying that there was no justification to ban the group, as it was not known to be involved in criminal activities in the country.

“I saw my brother gazette the Muslim organisation as a terrorist group. In my view, I do not share that position. If anything, I believe we as Muslims should instead consider gazetting the Zionist State of Israel as a terrorist organisation.”

In light of the Israeli genocide campaign in Gaza, the member of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) went on to call on the government to reconsider its relationship with Israel.

The decision has sparked concerns among Muslims, with fears that the declaration could be used to target Muslim organizations.

Sheikh Badru Jaffar, a member of the Jamia Mosque council of scholars (Majlis Ulamaa) expressed fears that the gazette notice could be used to curtail Muslim activities. “The declaration of the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group could affect us and our activities. The Voice For Palestine and other fundraising efforts could easily be used against us,” he said.

Echoing his sentiments, the Imam of Parkland Mosque, Sheikh Abdulrahman Ishaq termed the move as “ill adviced” as he urged the cabinet secretary to rescind the decision.

Mombasa-based academician Dr Adam Khamis read mischief in the declaration, saying that the declaration could serve as a pretext to harass Muslims.“The Cabinet Secretary responsible should clearly define what is meant by ‘Muslim Brotherhood’ in this context. Without such clarification, there is a real risk that this vague designation could be misused as a tool to suppress Muslim scholars, community leaders, and philanthropists under the guise of national security,” he said.

He questioned the motive behind the decision, saying that the Muslim Brotherhood was not a registered organization in the country and its activities were not known in the country, and therefore, there was no reason why the oganisation was criminalized.

He wondered why no action was taken to ban churches that are connected to the Shakahola massacre.“We have never seen even one church banned and designated as a terrorist organisation yet hundreds of people have died,” he said.

In the gazette notice dated September 19, the CS announced Murkomen gazetted the Muslim Brotherhood and Hizb-ur-Tahrir as terrorist entities under the 2025 Prevention of Terrorism Order. The declaration criminalizes membership, support, fundraising, or propaganda linked to the two groups.

The Muslim Brotherhood is an Islamic movement founded in Egypt in 1928 by Sheikh Hassan al Banna. It began as a grassroots organization promoting Islamic values, education, and social welfare, as well as advocating for governance according to Islamic law. Among its prominent members was Egypt's first democratically elected president, Muhammad Mursi, who was ousted in a military coup in 2013 by the current president, Abdul Fattah El Sisi. Mursi, died while in detention in 2019.

Hizb ut-Tahrir was founded in Palestine in 1952 in Jerusalem, Palestine and the organization seeks to unite the global Muslim population (ummah) in Muslim-majority lands under a Caliphate.

The two groups are not known to espouse ideas promoting violence or terrorism.