The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) is pushing for changes to government housing and health insurance programmes to ensure Muslims can access the services without going against their religious beliefs, with the organisation seeking Sharia-compliant financing and investment options.
SUPKEM National Chairman Al-Hajj Hassan Ole Naado said the council was engaging government officials over the affordable housing programme and the Social Health Authority (SHA), while also pressing for better employment opportunities amid growing economic challenges.
Speaking on Radio Generation on Thursday, Naado said SUPKEM preferred direct talks with government institutions to raise concerns affecting Muslim communities and seek solutions that could benefit the wider population.
“Our approach is largely dialogue. The founding fathers put in a structure of dialogue and advocacy rather than activism. SUPKEM is not very good at doing a lot of activism. We prefer one-to-one dialogue in most cases, even closed-loop dialogue, because our interest is to see the issues we identify as necessary addressed,” he said.
Established in 1973, SUPKEM serves as an umbrella body for Muslim organisations, mosques, societies and community groups across the country. Its work includes representing Muslim interests before the government, advocating for their rights and working with other religious organisations on matters affecting the country.
Naado said one of the council’s recent engagements involved the State Department for Housing and Urban Development, where it raised concerns about how Muslims could participate in the government’s affordable housing programme while observing Islamic financial principles.
The discussions included a conference attended by Housing Principal Secretary Charles Hinga, during which Muslim representatives sought ways to make housing finance accessible to people who cannot use conventional financial products because of their religious beliefs.
“One of the concerns the community had was the issue of financing this housing and asking whether there could be a window through which they could access halal products and Sharia-compliant financing, just like other Kenyans,” Naado said.
The council wants the government to consider financing arrangements that comply with Islamic law, commonly known as Sharia, so that Muslims can pursue home ownership without compromising their religious obligations.
The discussions come as the government implements the Affordable Housing Act, 2024, which provides the legal framework for affordable and institutional housing. The law defines affordable housing in relation to housing costs that do not exceed 30 per cent of a person's monthly income.
According to SUPKEM’s account of its September 2026 annual general meeting, talks with Hinga also covered possible Sharia-compliant financing arrangements, including proposals for financing of up to Sh4 million for eligible landowners seeking to construct houses.
The meeting also considered Takaful protection, an Islamic form of cooperative insurance, as well as the need for a clear Sharia certification framework to guide the use of such financial products.
Beyond housing, Naado said SUPKEM was holding discussions with the Ministry of Health over the Social Health Authority, seeking assurances that the management and investment of health insurance contributions could take Islamic financial requirements into account.
The council's concern is that funds collected through the health insurance system may be invested through arrangements that do not comply with Islamic principles. It wants options that allow Muslims to participate in the scheme while maintaining their religious obligations.
“When we raise issues of halal compliance, we are basically touching on the legal aspects of the entire system. The expectation is that these monies are going to be invested. Muslims are saying, invest this money in a halal way, not just through any other avenue,” he explained.
The Social Health Insurance Act, 2023, established the legal framework for social health insurance and created the Social Health Authority. SUPKEM’s engagement with the relevant government institutions is aimed at finding ways to address the concerns of Muslims within the existing system.
Naado said employment was also a major issue for the council, particularly as young people continued to face limited job opportunities in a difficult economic environment.
He argued that expanding access to Islamic financial products could help attract investment, support economic activity and create opportunities for more Kenyans, extending the potential benefits beyond Muslim communities.
SUPKEM is also working with other religious organisations through the Interreligious Council of Kenya and informal interfaith platforms to discuss national issues and develop recommendations for the government.
Despite its engagement with state institutions, Naado said the council would not endorse political parties or tell Muslims which candidates to support during elections. He maintained that SUPKEM’s role was to raise community concerns and advocate for policies that respond to them rather than direct members' political choices.
“We try to stay as much as possible away from politics because we do not want to assume the responsibility of deciding for Muslims who to vote for or which party they should support.”
Naado said SUPKEM would continue using dialogue and policy advocacy to push for solutions to the concerns raised by Muslim communities, with a focus on ensuring that government programmes are accessible while supporting broader national development.