Kilifi Speaker’s security withdrawn as Mombasa MCAs threaten demos

Mombasa MCAs show solidarity with Governor Hassan Ali Joho on January 9, 2017 where they demanded that his security be reinstated in seven days or they will call for street demonstrations. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Speaking to journalists in his office in Malindi on Monday, the speaker said his bodyguard had told him that he had received a telephone call ordering him to surrender his firearm at the station and await further instructions.
  • Led by majority leader Khamis Mwidani, they said they were convinced that the decision to withdraw the security of Mr Hassan Joho and his Kilifi counterpart Amason Kingi was political and not a regional police commander’s move to reorganize VIP protection as explained by the State.

Kilifi County Assembly Speaker Jimmy Kahindi’s police bodyguard has been withdrawn and ordered to return his firearm and report back to the Malindi Police Station.

Speaking to journalists in his office in Malindi on Monday, the speaker said his bodyguard had told him that he had received a telephone call ordering him to surrender his firearm at the station and await further instructions.

Mr Kahindi said he was perturbed by the action saying he was not a politician and he had not committed any wrong to warrant the withdrawal of his bodyguard.

“I have never attended any political rally with my bodyguard and he has never breached the law in line with his duty or misused his firearm to be dismissed from work,” he said adding that “God shall protect me.”

Addressing a news conference in his office in Malindi, Mr Kahindi said the government through the Inspector General of Police had established that County assembly speakers need security and it was therefore absurd to withdraw their bodyguards.

“I was given one police officer as my bodyguard through an appointment letter and he has now been withdrawn through a phone call,” he added.

Kilifi MCAs condemned the withdrawal of their speaker’s police bodyguard.

Mr Boniface Kaingu, the Majority leader and Mtepeni ward rep condemned the recall of the armed bodyguard saying the government would be responsible should any misfortune befall Mr Kahindi.

“We urge the government to return security details belonging to the speaker with immediate effect,” he said.

“It is so unfair that this is happening to our leaders who deserve respect,” he said.

His sentiments were echoed by minority leader Pascal Tuva who said the incident had demonstrated that it has some political motive.

In Mombasa, county MCA’s gave the national government seven days to return their governor’s security detail failure, they would call for street protests.

Speaking to journalists at the assembly offices in Mombasa, the MCAs said they would mobilise their supporters to take to the streets to “defend’’ their governor.

Led by majority leader Khamis Mwidani, they said they were convinced that the decision to withdraw the security of Mr Hassan Joho and his Kilifi counterpart Amason Kingi was political and not a regional police commander’s move to reorganize VIP protection as explained by the State.

“We are giving a notice of seven days to the government to reinstate the governor’s security detail otherwise we shall call for mass protest in Mombasa. Why is the so call reorganizing of security officers only happening in Mombasa and Kilifi?” posed Likoni MCA Abdallah Kasagamba.

The MCAs backed the Council of Governors plan to challenge the decision in court, saying they have also considered similar action.

They described the withdrawal of the security detail as Jubilee government scheme to intimidate opposition leaders.

“The withdrawal has hardened him (Joho) and the rest of us in ODM,” said Mr Kasagamba.

Elswehere, nominated Jubilee senators Beth Mugo and Mshenga Kisasa criticised Mr Joho for what they termed as continuously criticising President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Ms Mugo and Ms Mshenga told off the Mombasa Governor saying the Head of State was not in his league and should concentrate on competing with leaders within his ranks.

“Whereas the President is in charge of the whole nation, Joho is a Governor of Mombasa county. He is not in the same league with the President and therefore he should seize abusing the President. We ask him to apologise for disrespecting the duly elected President,” they said at a news conference at the Voyager Beach Resort in Mombasa.

They asked Mr Joho to change his political tactics and focus on development issues facing Mombasa County.

The two senators, however, said there was nothing wrong with the government implementing projects initiated by a previous regimes.