The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) has called on members of the public to scrutinise and submit views on 35 candidates shortlisted for appointment to Kenya’s Waqf Commission, as the recruitment process enters the public participation stage.
In a public notice, SUPKEM said the Selection Panel, chaired by Mohammed Alaw Hussun, is inviting written memoranda from the Muslim community and the general public within 14 days to assist in assessing the integrity, competence and suitability of the shortlisted applicants.
“Members of the public are invited to submit any relevant comments, views, or information regarding the shortlisted candidates. The submission period must be within 14 days from the date of publication of the notice. Your participation promotes transparency, accountability, and integrity in the appointment process,” SUPKEM said.
The council said the public participation exercise is intended to strengthen openness and accountability in the recruitment process by allowing members of the public to raise any concerns or provide information that may be relevant before appointments are made.
The Selection Panel shortlisted the 35 candidates after receiving 148 applications for the eight available positions on the commission.
The appointments are being conducted under the Waqf Act, 2022, which established the Waqf Commission to regulate and oversee the management of waqf endowments across the country.
A waqf is property permanently dedicated under Islamic law for charitable, religious or social purposes. Such endowments may include land, mosques, schools, cemeteries and commercial properties, with income generated from them used to support community welfare and other public-benefit initiatives.
Once constituted, the commission will be responsible for registering waqf properties, overseeing their management, protecting endowment assets from misuse, supervising trustees and ensuring donated property is managed according to the wishes of those who established the endowments.
The commission will also formulate policies on waqf administration and help resolve disputes involving waqf assets.
Under the law, the eight-member commission will comprise an Islamic scholar with expertise in Islamic jurisprudence, a prominent businessperson and professionals drawn from fields including law, finance, accounting, architecture, administration, land economics and social work. The appointments must also comply with the constitutional requirement that no more than two-thirds of commissioners be of the same gender, while taking into account the inclusion of youth and persons with disabilities.
The selection exercise is being overseen by a five-member panel appointed by the Attorney-General in accordance with the Waqf Act. Besides chairperson Mohammed Alaw Hussun, the panel includes Sheikh Hassan Ali Amin, Shoaib Vayani, Sumaya Hassan and Hannan Hassan El-Kathiri.
Following the conclusion of the public participation exercise, the Selection Panel will review all memoranda received before forwarding the names of successful candidates to the Attorney-General for appointment in accordance with the law.
