Nine Huruma mosque officials charged in Nairobi land dispute with SUPKEM
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Nine committee members of Huruma Jamia Mosque denied forcible detainer charges over a parcel of land linked to the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims and were released on bail.
Nine committee members of Huruma Jamia Mosque in Nairobi's Eastlands area have been released on bail after being arraigned at a Milimani court on charges of forcible detainer, in a dispute pitting mosque officials against the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM).
The accused, who include a madrasa teacher, denied charges brought under Section 91 of the Penal Code. The charges relate to Nairobi Block 130/1650, also known as L.R. No. 209/10509, in Huruma. The prosecution alleges that the nine, alongside others not before the court, continued to occupy the property between May 2025 and September 15, 2026 despite having no legal entitlement to do so. SUPKEM is listed as the complainant and is identified in the charge sheet as the party entitled to possession of the land.
The nine were arrested on September 15 and appeared in court the following day. Defence counsel Danstan Omari and Stanley Kinyanjui asked the court to allow both sides to pursue an out-of-court resolution, arguing that the dispute was fundamentally religious, and urged that the matter be referred back to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. The prosecution rejected the request, saying the ODPP had already reviewed the investigation file and found sufficient grounds to proceed.
Mosque officials vowed to contest the case, saying they have been associated with the institution for decades. "It's unfortunate we who have been at the mosque since 1972 are being labelled as criminals. When we were building the mosque, where were they? We have been in occupation of that mosque for decades. We are ready to meet them in court," one official, Ali Kibara, said. Mosque chairman Said Warfa accused SUPKEM officials of attempting to seize control of the institution, saying the mosque would remain under their control. The court granted each of the nine accused cash bail of KSh50,000 with two sureties, or an alternative bond of KSh200,000, and the case is scheduled for mention on September 30, 2026.