Discrimination against Arabs and/or Muslims inadmission to the police force. [KEN9136]

A representative from the New York-based Lawyers' Committee
for Human Rights stated in a telephone interview with the IRBDC
that Arabs and Muslims are allowed into the Kenyan police force
(6 August 1991). The source added that discrimination against
Arabs and/or Muslims is not known by the Lawyers' Committee to be taking place. Finally, the representative pointed out that
although Somalis (who are usually Muslims) have recently been the subject of discrimination and harassment in certain areas of the country, this discrimination and harassment was due to their
specific ethnicity and not their religion or other relationship
to the Arab and Muslim communities of Kenya.
Nevertheless, the most important posts in the security
services are reportedly staffed by members of President Moi's ethnic group, the Kalenjin (Africa Confidential 1 June 1990).
Please find attached an article that reports on this issue and a
more recent one that updates some of the information (both listed below).
Further information on the subject could not be found among
the sources currently available to the IRBDC in time to meet your deadline.
Bibliography

Lawyers' Committee for Human Rights, New York. 6 August 1991. Telephone Interview with Representative.

Africa Confidential [London]. 1 June 1990. "The Security
Home-Boys".
Attachments

Africa Confidential [London]. 7 December 1990. "Kenya: Who's Who" (corrections made by Kenyan government representatives to the report on ethnic affiliation of prominent government figures contained in the article listed next)

. 26 October 1990. The End of an Era?"

. 1 June 1990. "The Security Home-Boys".