United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary General Hassan Omar has criticised Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen for the recent decision to gazette the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation.
Speaking on Sunday at Uhuru Park in Nairobi during a solidarity event for Palestine organised by the Muslim community, Omar expressed his disapproval of the move, stating that it does not reflect the sentiments of many Muslims in Kenya and around the world.
“I saw my brother gazette the Muslim organisation as a terrorist group. In my view, I do not share that position,” Omar said. “If anything, I believe we as Muslims should instead consider gazetting the Zionist State of Israel as a terrorist organisation.”
Omar further called for a shift in Kenya’s foreign policy, urging the country to reassess its ties with Israel. He emphasised the need for Kenya to align more closely with the Muslim world, citing stronger strategic interests.
“Let’s look for a way to influence Kenya’s policy on Israel,” he said. “We should ensure that we do not engage in any business with Israel. Kenya has more strategic interests in the Muslim world than it does in Israel.”
Murkomen gazetted the Muslim Brotherhood and Hizb-ur-Tahrir as terrorist entities under the 2025 Prevention of Terrorism Order towards the end of last week, sparking debate within political and religious circles over the impacts of the decision.
In the gazette notice dated September 19, the CS announced that the orders would remain in force indefinitely unless he revokes them or they are overturned by a court.
The Muslim Brotherhood is an influential Sunni Islamist movement founded in Egypt in 1928, with branches and affiliates worldwide that combine Islamic revivalist ideology with social, educational, and political activism, advocating for governance according to Islamic law.
It has, however, been widely accused of fostering extremism through its ideology, history of violence, and political opportunism, despite maintaining a public facade of peaceful political action, even being outlawed in several countries, including some muslim countries.
What It Means to Be a Terror Group
Being designated a terrorist group in Kenya means that an organisation is officially classified by the government as being involved in terrorism-related activities, such as planning or supporting acts of violence for political, religious, or ideological reasons.
In Kenya, such a designation is made under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2012, where the Interior Cabinet Secretary has the authority to list a group as a terrorist entity.
This happens if the group is found to be committing, preparing, promoting, or supporting terrorism.
Once designated, all activities of the group are banned, their assets frozen, and any support, financial, logistical, or ideological, is criminalised.
