Islamic Clerics In Kenya Banning Public Soccer Broadcasts

Reuters yesterday reported that a group of Islamic clerics in Kenya are trying to prevent public broadcasts of soccer and of films in the area around the town of Mandera, near the border with Somalia. The clerics say that young people are being distracted from their religious obligations by the broadcasts, so the clerics are confiscating equipment, destroying DVDs, and compensating the owners for them. While this sort of ban cannot be enforced legally in Kenya, the clerics have pressured local administrators to support it. Many Kenyans are particularly distressed by the move because of the upcoming World Cup competition scheduled for June in South Africa. Kenyans are avid soccer fans, and many more moderate Muslim clerics in the country do not necessarily support the broadcast ban.