Questions abound after Ole Naado resigns from Wakf committee panel

Beleaguered by the resignation of the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) chairman Hassan Ole Naado from the recruitment panel for Wakf Commissioners, questions are being asked on the future of the recruitment process for Wakf Commissioners.

The SUPKEM chairman tendered his resignation last week, citing the slow progress of the recruitment process, stating that since the composition of the five-member panel in March this year, no tangible progress has been achieved.

The panel, comprising eminent Muslim personalities, was constituted to nominate qualified persons for the appointment to the position of Commissioners of the Wakf Commission, in accordance with the Wakf Act. In March this year, the Attorney General gazetted a five-member selection panel tasked with nominating candidates for the Wakf Commission. Members of the panel included Hassan Ole Naado, Sheikh Ibrahim Lethome who serves as the chairperson, Sheikh Abdallah Ibrahim Ateka, Sumayyah Athman and Jawahir Keinan Hassan.

Ole Naado is the second member of the panel to resign since the committee was first gazetted in July last year. Mombasa lawyer Moza Jadid tendered her resignation last year soon after her appointment.

“Since our appointment, we have convened several meetings alongside the technical and support teams representing the appointment authority. However, there has been limited progress and the delay in appointing Wakf commissioners is becoming increasingly concerning for both the institutions we represent and the wider community,” the SUPKEM chair said in a letter dated September 9 addressed to the Attorney General, Dorcas Oduor.

He cited inadequate logistical support from the Attorney General’s office, lack of clear timelines and unresolved legal clarifications as among the reasons behind the slow progress. "The prolonged delay raises concerns about the commitment of those in authority to this important matter. Stakeholders cannot wait indefinitely. It is time to inject urgency into this matter,” he said.

The resignation will no doubt again delay the process, which has for more than one year seen little achievement.Members of the committee have reportedly complained over the slow process and apparent lack of support from the Attorney General to bolster the process. An advertisement calling for applicants was made in the media and later cancelled without explanation.

The appointment of the panel followed calls from Muslim leaders to President William to speed up the process for the recruitment of the Commissioners to oversee the implementation of the Wakf Act. While the law establishing the commission was enacted in 2022, operational challenges have slowed its implementation, prompting concerns from the Muslim community.

The prolonged delay in appointing commissioners for the Waqf Commission is increasingly generating concerns among Muslims. Without the Commission in place, the management of the Wakf Commission is left without oversight weakening accountability systems and delaying plans to put in place a robust system that is expected to increase revenue collection. Revenue generated from wakf properties is meant to support mosques, educational programmes, health care, and other social welfare programmes in the Muslim community.

The Wakf Commission owns properties worth billions of shillings, but a weakening accountability system has seen meager revenues being generated.

The Commission is mandated with registering, administering, and managing properties registered under the Waqf Act 2022 and ensures the effective implementation of the provisions of the Act.