Handfuls of mosques yesterday reopened in Kenyan city of Mombasa for Friday prayers for the first time since March when all places of worship were locked down as part of containing the spread of the infectious disease coronavirus.
Kenyan authorities have recently allowed places of worship to reopen but only under strict rules and mosques were yesterday ready for resumptions.
Ijumaa prayers were said in new orders as Imaams were seen for the first time reading their sermons with facemasks on while worshippers kept physical distance each sitting on their own prayer mats as required by the health guidelines.
As a requirement in guidelines by the gov’t on reopening of the places of worship in Kenya, children and adults between the ages of 13 and 58 were allowed in.
A maximum of 100 people were allowed in.
Temperatures were checked at the entrance, face masks had to be worn and hands sanitised.
Mohammed Faki, the Mombasa Senator who was one of the worshippers said more mosques will start re-opening as he says the rules are not too onerous.
However, some Muslim leaders have continued to urge worshippers to keep praying at home to reduce the risk of infection.
