The Association of Hajj and Umrah Kenya has protested a decision by the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) to reduce the number of agencies allowed to facilitate pilgrimages.
In a letter dated July 23, 2025, addressed to Mombasa Governor Abdullswamad Sheriff Nassir and copied to the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Association Chair Badru Jaffar said more than 180 duly licensed and compliant agencies had been left out.
He noted that out of over 200 agencies across the country—many with decades of experience in serving pilgrims—only 13 had been granted permits to organize and facilitate Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages.
“This action lacks transparency and inclusivity, and it effectively marginalizes the majority of operators without clear justification or due process,” the letter reads.
The Association warned that the move could lead to monopolization of the sacred journey, higher costs for pilgrims, and loss of investment by long-serving agencies.
“Your Excellency, the Hajj and Umrah are sacred obligations for Muslims, and access to these services must remain open, fair, and affordable. The current approach risks monopolizing this spiritual journey, increasing the cost burden on pilgrims, and undermining years of investment and experience by other capable service providers,” Jaffar wrote.
The group urged Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi to intervene.
“We seek the restoration of a democratic, transparent, and consultative framework for regulating Hajj and Umrah travel, one that reflects the diversity and capacity of Kenya’s Muslim travel sector and protects the rights of the wider Ummah,” the letter added.
The Association said it was ready to work with stakeholders to ensure Hajj and Umrah services remain accessible to all.
In July, the association protested exclusion from a crucial meeting to discuss next year’s Hajj pilgrimage.
The meeting, which took place on July 5, was organised by the Supreme Council of Kenya.
The Vice Chairman of the Hajj and Umrah Association of Kenya Sheikh Abdulkadir Al-Ubeidy said the meeting was incomplete without the representation of all agents, particularly those from the Coast.
“We are the ones involved and in charge of pilgrimage and it is surprising that not a single agent from the coast was invited,” he said.
Al-Ubeidy, who has more than 33 years of experience as a Hajj agent, criticised the current coordination, saying Supkem’s invitation of only 11 agents out of 65 nationwide was unfair.
He said Coast plays a significant role in the Hajj pilgrimage, with 40 per cent of the total pilgrims –1,800 out of 4,500 – coming from the region.
Al-Ubeidy questioned reasons behind the exclusion and accused Supkem of poor management in the past three years.
“In my 33 years of experience, I have never witnessed such poor management. The 2026 Hajj will not be successful without full involvement of all agents, especially those from the coastal region,” he said.
He said the work of the Supreme Council is to check on the work done by agents and their exclusion from the meeting raises concerns.
During last year’s Hajj, more than 300 people were forced to sleep outside the tents and had to withstand the scorching heat of the sun, despite paying for full accommodation.
Al-Ubeidy said there were only nine buses to ferry more than 4,500 people instead of the usual 40.
He said they faced threats of being blacklisted because they wanted to speak out about what happened during this year’s Hajj.
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