The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) has announced that it will now be the exclusive authority managing all aspects of Hajj travel from Kenya. This directive comes in the wake of numerous complaints by pilgrims who were defrauded or mismanaged by unregistered agents during the recent Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.
Speaking during a Hajj planning meeting, SUPKEM Chairperson Hassan Ole Naado emphasized that the council is legally mandated to coordinate the pilgrimage for Kenyan Muslims. “Apart from identification and listing, we are also working on a code of conduct which every entity and individual involved will be required to sign,” he stated. “Any other person or unlawful operative involved in the process will not be allowed.”
SUPKEM has already suspended seven travel agencies found to have violated existing Hajj travel regulations. According to Ole Naado, these agencies flouted clear directives and went as far as politicizing the sacred process, which he described as unacceptable.
Mudhar Khitami, Chair of the SUPKEM Hajj Committee, added that a list of approved and certified travel agents will be published in local newspapers and posted in mosques once a verification process is concluded. This measure is intended to ensure transparency and protect pilgrims from exploitation.
The council’s crackdown follows reports of pilgrims missing accommodation, transportation, and other essential services despite making full payments. In response, SUPKEM aims to streamline the logistics and safeguard the spiritual integrity of the journey.
Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, is a compulsory religious duty for all financially and physically able Muslims. It involves a series of sacred rituals performed in and around Mecca during the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah. These include the Tawaf (circling the Kaaba), standing at Mount Arafat, and the symbolic stoning of the devil at Mina.
The pilgrimage is a deeply spiritual experience, offering believers a chance to seek divine forgiveness and demonstrate unity, humility, and equality before God. SUPKEM’s move is aimed at ensuring that this once-in-a-lifetime journey is handled with the reverence and care it deserves.
