By Staff Writer | Wajir Today | Thursday, 9 October 2025
Religious leaders in Wajir have called on Muslim girls and women to stop using bodabodas as a means of transport, citing growing concerns over public indecency and moral decline in the predominantly Muslim town.
The clerics made the remarks after a consultative meeting with Wajir Municipal Manager, Mr Omar Shano, on Wednesday, where they discussed measures to safeguard the community’s moral and social fabric.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Sheikh Abdullahi Amiri urged residents to be vigilant against what he described as a rise in indecent behaviours, including the use of bodabodas by young women.
“We are asking the people of Wajir to be aware of the problem of indecency that is widespread in our town. Public indecency includes Muslim girls using bodabodas as transport. We are asking the municipality, in collaboration with religious leaders and county assembly members, to push for local legislation to address this issue,” Sheikh Amiri said
He further warned landlords against allowing their premises to be used for the brewing or sale of illicit alcohol, saying such practices were against Islamic principles.
“We are warning the public about the dangers of allowing houses to be used as chang’aa dens. This is not allowed in Islam. Income from such businesses is haram. We are asking the municipality to take stern action against offenders,” he added.
The cleric also appealed to residents to maintain cleanliness and proper waste disposal, saying public hygiene was a collective responsibility.
“Wajir is a large and growing municipality. We must all take part in improving the hygiene of our town by refraining from dumping garbage in unauthorised places,” he said.
Echoing similar sentiments, Sheikh Abass Maalim condemned the misuse of social media platforms, particularly TikTok, accusing some youth of spreading indecent videos online.
“We are warning the public against using social media to spread immoral content, which goes against Islamic ethics,” he cautioned.
Municipal Manager Omar Shano, who hosted the meeting, pledged to work closely with religious leaders to restore discipline, curb immorality, and promote responsible citizenship.
“We have agreed with the religious leaders to jointly address the problems facing our town, including drug trafficking, misuse of TikTok by the youth, and the sale of illicit brews. Any person found selling illegal substances in Wajir will be required to leave,” said Mr Shano.
