Bid to Convert Obama's Grandma to Christianity Flops

By John Harry Ndeta

Nairobi, Kenya. - Islamic leaders in Kenya have condemned a recent move by a visiting Australian gospel evangelist to convert US President Barack Obama's grandmother to Christianity.
 
The Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya said in a press statement Sunday that it was wrong for John Jeremic to force Mama Sarah Obama to turn from her Islamic faith.

Organizing Secretary Sheikh Mohamed Khalifa, said Jeremic should have consulted Mama Sarah and her children before engaging in the exercise and called for his immediate deportation from the country.

"We ask the foreign evangelist to stop using force in converting Kenyans,” he said, adding that Islam prohibits the use of force when converting a person from one faith to the other. “We Muslims would not allow that to happen, and we want him deported from Kenya with immediate effect.”

The sheikhs also said the foreign cleric should respect other religions and give people freedom of worship as enshrined in the Kenyan Constitution.

On Saturday an attempt by Jeremic, a Seventh Day Adventist pastor, to convert Mama Sarah, who is believed to be a practicing Muslim flopped at the last minute at the intervention of family members.

Mama Sarah’s son, Saidi Obama and other families stopped her from attending a baptism ceremony, which was planned for Saturday at the Jomo Kenyatta Grounds in Kisumu. She was already dressed and ready for the occasion.

Several Seventh Day Adventist pastors are reportedly camping at Mama Sarah’s Kogelo home and have vowed not to give up on their efforts to convert her into Christianity.

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