Chief Justice Martha Koome has been warned by Garisa Town MP Aden Duale against selecting female Kadhis.
“We will not accept a female Khadhi as a Muslim leader. The Koran does not mention it. “It is not contained in the Prophet’s teachings,” Duale remarked.
The politician claimed that the Islamic religion has traditionally valued women’s roles in society.
Duale’s statement came after a group of women demanded that one of them be nominated to the top position of the Khadhi courts when existing Chief Khadhi Sheikh Ahmed Muhdhar’s term expires, a demand that Sheikh Muhdhar supports.
“Regardless of gender, you are entitled to the Khadhi position if you have studied Islamic Sharia law,” he stated.
Mudhar Khitamy, the chairman of the Supreme Council of Muslims in Kenya (Supkem) Coast area, echoed Sheikh Mudhar’s views.
The Muslim women claimed that CJ Koome’s appointment prompted them to run for the top post on the Khadhi’s court, which decides on issues such as inheritance, marriage, and divorce.
Fatuma Juma, an Islamic law scholar, told a local newspaper that if women reach such high levels, they will bring a fresh viewpoint on women’s issues that aren’t effectively stated in the current system.
Most Muslim women, she claims, are hesitant and need a female advocate to assist them deal with marital and other issues.
