President Mwai Kibaki has directed that a special desk for issuance of passports to Muslims going for the Haji pilgrimage be immediately set up at the Ministry of State for Immigration.

Addressing a delegation of leaders from the Muslim community who called on him at State House Nairobi, President Kibaki said that the special desk would ensure that there were no delays in the issuance of the passports to Muslim pilgrims.

The delegation that consisted of 211 Muslim sheikhs and 21 members of Parliament was led by Hon Mohammed Yusuf Haji, chairman of the Muslim MPs association, also pledged their support for President Kibaki.

The President at the same time directed that a committee be established to ensure the rights of Muslims are respected.

Saying that the committee should report its findings to the government in the next two weeks, President Kibaki said the findings would ensure that any concerns by the Muslim community were addressed in a comprehensive and sustainable manner.

Said President Kibaki, "Muslims are an integral part of the Kenyan society, indeed they form a large section of Kenyans and their rights must be respected. "

He emphasized that the government is committed to the freedom of worship and would not discriminate against anyone on account of his or her religion.

In this connection, President Kibaki said all Kenyan Muslims who had gone to other countries for fear of arrest or who had been deported on alleged involvement in terrorism should come back home.

"We have no intention of victimizing Muslims, but I would like to advise all Kenyans including Muslims to be law abiding and avoid involvement in unlawful activities," he added.

Responding to some of the issues raised, President Kibaki announced that the Islamic University in Mombasa would be awarded a charter after meeting the requirements of the Commission for Higher Education.

Noting that the government was committed to expanding higher education, President Kibaki observed that once fully operational the University would increase chances of University admissions in the country.

The Muslim leaders thanked the President for rejecting the terrorism bill in the last four years saying signing it into law would be prejudicial to their interests.

Noting that the many members of their community came from regions that were previously marginalized, the leaders expressed satisfaction with the government's efforts in developing these regions to be at par with others in the country.

The leaders expressed their satisfaction with the leadership of President Kibaki noting that the President deserved to be given another chance to continue leading Kenyans for another five-year term as head of State.

They pledged support for President Kibaki and denied that members of the community had entered into a pact to support any other Presidential candidate.

They noted the Muslim religion was guided by truth and they would resist any efforts to mislead the community and appealed to Muslims around the country to be wary of those out to create divisions.