County leadership row deepens as threat leaflets found in assembly
Mombasa County Assembly Majority Leader Abdalla Kasagamba speaking at his office during an interview with Nation on June 20, 2016. The leader was on Friday last week forced out of office by a section MCAs. PHOTO | WACHIRA MWANGI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Majority Leader Abdalla Kasagamba said his life was in danger after leaflets threatening his life and that of Speaker Thadius Rajwayi were found at the assembly’s garden.
- The locks to Mr Kasagamba’s office had to be broken for the second time yesterday after his keys failed to open the door.
- Mr Kasagamba accused Nominated MCA Mohamed Hatimy of plotting his ouster on Thursday.
- Nominated Mr Hatimy, however, said he was not behind the leaflets and termed the claims as “nonsense”.
A leadership dispute at the Mombasa County Assembly took a new turn on Monday when leaflets with threatening messages were found in the compound.
Majority Leader Abdalla Kasagamba said his life was in danger after leaflets threatening his life and that of Speaker Thadius Rajwayi were found at the assembly’s garden.
The locks to Mr Kasagamba’s office had to be broken for the second time yesterday after his keys failed to open the door.
On Friday, Members of the County Assembly allied to the majority leader were compelled to break the locks installed by a faction led by Nominated MCA Mohamed Hatimy so that he could enter his office.
Speaking to journalists at his office on Monday, Mr Kasagamba expressed fears over his life following the death threat leaflets.
“I am going to record a statement at the Mombasa Police Station because my enemies have hatched a plot to take my life,” said Mr Kasagamba.
The politician accused Mr Hatimy of plotting his ouster on Thursday. He said a dispute with Mr Hatimy erupted on Thursday after the select committee which he chairs removed the latter from serving as finance committee chairman.
He explained that the select committee resolved to remove Mr Hatimy from his position as a disciplinary measure for causing chaos in the House last month.
CHAOS ROCKED ASSEMBLY
“Mr Hatimy was behind the chaos which rocked the assembly last month when, together with his group, he attempted to throw out the speaker without a justifiable reason,” said Mr Kasagamba.
He went on: “After the assembly adopted his ouster, he orchestrated my removal through the locking up of my office and then came the death threat leaflets.”
Mr Hatimy, however, said he was not behind the leaflets and termed the claims as “nonsense”.
“I am not at all involved in the leaflets,” said Mr Hatimy. “I am a law-abiding citizen and I cannot threaten anyone.”
He, however, supported the replacement of Mr Kasagamba with Mtongwe MCA Hamisi Mwidani.
The office of the majority leader was locked by his opponents after he left for a meeting.\
This was the third time MCAs aligned to Mr Hatimy had locked up the office in a bid to throw out Mr Kasagamba.
After the meeting, which was chaired by Mr Rajwayi, it was resolved that the majority leader remain in office until Thursday when the ODM Mombasa branch will give a final decision on the dispute.
But when Mr Kasagamba returned to the office, he found it still locked with county askaris guarding it. The office was later opened following the speaker’s intervention.
