Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on Monday flagged off the first group of 300 Hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia at a ceremony held at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
This marks the beginning of a phased travel plan that will see a total of 3,300 Kenyan pilgrims heading to Mecca. Duale announced the commencement of the pilgrimage through his X handle, expressing his gratitude to various entities for their collaboration in ensuring a smooth travel process for the pilgrims.
Duale specifically thanked the government for facilitating passport applications and issuance through the State Department of Immigration. He also acknowledged the efforts of the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) and the Saudi Embassy in Kenya for their role in ensuring the timely issuance of Hajj visas.
The event was attended by Supkem chairman Hassan Ole Nado and the Saudi Deputy Ambassador to Kenya, Nassir Alfuraidy, among others.
