Kenya’s Islamic courts are illegal and discriminatory, a panel of judges has ruled.
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The issue of Islamic courts has been a contentious point in the country’s new proposed constitution.
It is due to go to a referendum in August.
The Kadhi courts – set up under British colonial rule – mainly deal with matters of marriage and inheritance for Kenya’s Muslim minority.
The Christian church in Kenya brought the case to court six years ago.
I am no expert on Kenya, but it’s noteworthy that as in Nigeria the “compromises” constructed by the British colonialists are still unraveling and causing problems fifty years after independence. I know, I know, you can’t blame all of Africa’s problems on colonialism. But you also can’t ignore history, whose shadow seems to loom particularly large in disputes over law and religion.
Sahel Blog 