Turn up in big numbers at Uhuru Park to support Gaza-Jamia Imam
The event will also be an opportunity to extend financial support towards the people of Gaza who are undergoing the most horrific carnage that has never been witnessed in the history of modern times.
“Sunday, September 21. Venue: Uhuru Park. Save the date and turn out in large numbers.” This was the message from the Imam of Jamia Mosque, Sheikh Jamaludin Osman as he called on Muslims to turn up in multitudes to show their solidarity with the people of Gaza and Palestine through the “Plant a Tree Save a Life” campaign.
The programme is part of a series of initiatives by the Voice For Palestine, a Nairobi-based advocacy group for Palestine.
“We have been called upon by the Muslim leadership together to turn up and show our support and stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Gaza and Palestine who are undergoing a period of brutal atrocities,” he said during his Friday sermon at Jamia mosque last week.
The Imam said the event will also be an opportunity to extend financial support towards the people of Gaza who are undergoing the most horrific carnage that has never been witnessed in the history of modern times. “If you yearn for Allah’s help to relieve you of your problems and life challenges, extend a hand of support to the people of Palestine, Allah will also help you by rectifying your affairs,” he said in his rallying call.
Uhuru Park will serve as the venue for launching the “Plant a Tree Save a Life” campaign and this involves buying a tree at a minimum cost of Sh500 with proceeds obtained going towards supporting relief and medical efforts in Gaza. A mass tree planting campaign will be organized at Karura Forest next month, where the trees bought will be planted at a special demarcated area.
The event will be preceded by a solidarity ride from Adams Mosque, Ngong Road through Haile Selassie Avenue to Uhuru Park by bikers and motorists.
Various Muslim leaders are expected to attend the event and address Muslims on the need to take practical actions to support the people of Gaza and ease their suffering. “We cannot sit by idly and only read and watch in the media as the wanton destruction and loss of life being witnessed in Gaza continues. We have to raise our voices, boycott products and establishments encouraging the genocide and support the people of Gaza with our wealth, no matter how small,” said the VFP chairman Ahmed Sharrif.
To participate in the programme, buy a tree at a cost of Sh500 through the Mpesa Pay Bill 150770 Account TREE4GAZA. The account name will appear as Jamia Mosque Committee.
Funds obtained from the campaign will go towards providing much-needed humanitarian aid programmes for the people of Gaza. Voice For Palestine has partnered with the South Africa-based Al Imdaad Foundation which has a presence in Gaza to distribute medical and other relief aid to the people of Gaza.
The tree planting programme conforms with the government’s plans to increase the tree cover in the country. The plan aimed at planting 15 billion trees by 2032 in a bid to reach 30% tree cover aims at mitigating the effects of climate change, including unpredictable rainfall patterns, floods, droughts, and disease and pest outbreaks.
Voice For Palestine is an initiative that has brought together various mosques and organisations including Jamia Mosque Committee, National Muslim Leaders Forum (NAMLEF), Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM), Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK) Masjid al Ameen, Juja Road, Parklands Mosque, Adams Mosque, Masjid Rahma Hurlingham mosque, Maahad Da'wah Organization, Park Road Mosque, Kenya Association of Muslim Medical Practitioners (KAMMP) among other organisations.