I had a snap interview earlier today with Social Welfare and Gender Affairs Minister Moijue Kaikai who is in Mecca with Sierra Leonean pilgrims performing the Hajj.
He told me the first batch of pilgrims will return home November 7 to be followed by the second batch November 8.
Hon. Kaikai, who is himself a devout Muslim, is head of the Hajj committee this year and has so far impressed the Saudi authorities and others.
He expressed satisfaction over how things had gone so far and has been praised by many people including a prominent Muslim cleric Sheik Tejan Sillah.
Honourable Kaikai told me the Sierra Leonean pilgrims under his watch have comported themselves in an admirable manner and all is well with them.
He added that female representation this year has been the highest with nearly half of the 920 pilgrims being female.President Ernest Koroma paid for most of them.
"This is my first time as Chairman (of the Hajj Committee) and I can assure you that things will only get better next year," he said.
Minister Kaikai is one of the youngest Ministers in the current government and hails from Pujehun, southern Sierra Leone.
He lived and worked in Britain for several years before returning home a couple of years ago.
Photo: Minister Moijue Kaikai (right) with a Sierra Leonean pilgrim in Saudi Arabia.
Comments