Kenyan pilgrims and Hajj agents have unleashed searing condemnation of the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM), with Chairman Hassan Ole Naado at the epicenter of accusations of gross mismanagement and exploitation during the 2025 Hajj.
The outcry is growing and now structured voices within Parliament and the Muslim leadership are demanding immediate accountability, independent investigations, and the removal of Naado from his position.
Kenyan pilgrims who endured overcrowded tents, abysmal sanitation, haphazard transportation, and poor quality food did not hold back.
“The situation was chaotic. Pilgrims slept in cramped tents and access to toilets was almost impossible, especially for the elderly. Pursue legal action against SUPKEM and form a task force to take the matter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” Bajun Sultan Omar Shariff said.
“They have ignored our input, yet we are the ones engaging with pilgrims on the ground. This centralised control is unacceptable,” travel agent Aisha Aidarus said.
In Mombasa, agents under the Hajj and Umrah Association of Kenya blasted SUPKEM’s unilateral control as detrimental to their industry and pilgrim welfare.
“The Umrah numbers have dropped drastically… Supkem has overreached its mandate by imposing hefty charges and excluding key players from essential planning processes. The government must act,” Vice Chair Sheikh Abdulkadir Al-Ubeidy said.
“There is no transparency. The services are poor, and we do not know how the money is used,” Sheikh Rishard Rajab Ramadhan said.
The pressure intensified as political and religious leaders backed a parliamentary probe into SUPKEM’s operations.
“This is not just about SUPKEM as an institution, it is about restoring the trust of the Muslim community and protecting the sanctity of Hajj,” Sheikh Abubakar Bini from the North Rift region said.
“The time has come for transparency. An independent audit will reveal whether funds meant for pilgrims were properly utilized,” Rashid Kiplagat, chair of Imams and Preachers in Uasin Gishu, said.
They also insisted that “Hassan Ole Naado and his executive committee step aside during the inquiry to allow impartial investigations.”
Fafi MP Salah Yakub has also formally demanded accountability from SUPKEM over the alleged mismanagement of the Kenya Hajj program.
MP Farah Maalim made the same call.
The narrative has grown from communal dissatisfaction to institutional revolt.
For many Kenyan pilgrims and agents, there is a consensus.
The mess is not merely logistical, it is symptomatic of deeper leadership failure.
Their message is unambiguous that Ole Naado must be removed, SUPKEM must be reformed, and the sanctity of the Hajj must be restored.
Naado defended their move.
“After announcing the success of the Kenya Hajj Mission under the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims’ first phase of Hajj preparation, a wave of negativity was unleashed by a network of unscrupulous Hajj agents who sought to blackball the initiative. They believed that Kenyan Muslims would succumb to their targeted propaganda,” he said.
“Muslims turned out in large numbers and paid the required fees to enable their travel for Hajj. This is a major achievement, as we have a record (close to 5,000) Kenyans registered,” he said.
“As the National Chairman of SUPKEM and the Head of the Hajj Mission in the country, I was fully aware of the risks involved in blacklisting Hajj agents who have been in this business for over three decades. I knew they would fight back, but it is a price I must pay to streamline Hajj operations in the best interests of the hujjaj,” he said.
“I am equally aware of the challenges and risks associated with the land question in Nairobi. Reclaiming SUPKEM’s property from parties who show no respect for institutions and the rights of others is a responsibility I am prepared to uphold. The trust in the leadership of the Hajj Mission and SUPKEM is at an all-time high, although negative propaganda currently dominates social media platforms. This situation is not unprecedented,” he said.
“Having been with SUPKEM for 24 years, I have built my reputation in various fields where I have excelled. My involvement with SUPKEM has undoubtedly disturbed the status quo and turned certain ‘plates’ of interest upside down, and I was ready for the eventuality that this would bring,” he added.
