Joho agents trailing me, claims Awiti
Nyali MP Hezron Awiti shows journalists the spot where he alleged a car carrying suspicious-looking characters, whom he feared were after his life, was parked before it sped off after being confronted by his bodyguards at Mamba village, in Mombasa. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- On Monday, Nyali MP Hezron Awiti did not give names or details of a man and two women he claimed have been trailing him
- Mr Awiti claimed that the trailing was part of a plot to intimidate and harass him so that he does not contest the governorship of Mombasa County.
- Mr Awiti claimed, he was accosted by a young man whom he identified by name, and whom he accused of threatening him with a gun.
- Mombasa County ODM chairman Mohamed Hatimy dismissed Mr Awiti’s allegations, saying the MP was only looking for cheap sympathy votes.
Nyali MP Hezron Awiti has sensationally associated three people he claims are trailing him with his bitter political rival, Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho.
On Monday, the Wiper party MP did not give names or details of a man and two women he claimed have been trailing him whenever he is in Mombasa County, only alleging that Mr Joho had detailed them to intimidate him for political reasons.
Speaking at a news conference in the accompany of ODM rebel MCA Jabes Oduor, the MP claimed that the trailing was part of a plot to intimidate and harass him so that he does not contest the governorship of Mombasa County.
He cited an incident a month ago when, he claimed, he was accosted by a young man whom he identified by name, and whom he accused of threatening him with a gun.
However, Nominated MCA and Mombasa County ODM chairman Mohamed Hatimy dismissed Mr Awiti’s allegations, saying the MP was only looking for cheap sympathy votes.
Mr Hatimy, a close ally of Mr Joho, also challenged Mr Awiti to prove that he was being trailed or threatened, saying the fact that he had reported the threats to police does not mean much.
“That is nonsense,’’ said Mr Hatimy. “Who is he to think that he can be killed by anyone? We have important things to think about and not about killing anybody,’’ he told the Daily Nation. He urged the Nyali MP to stop using “old fashioned ways of influencing people to vote for him’.’
“He does not stand a chance against the governor in Mombasa,’’ said an angry Mr Hatimy. At Mamba Village yesterday, Mr Awiti said: “They (his opponents) have unleashed two women, a man and a driver who always trail my cars waiting for the opportunity to finish me, but I am telling them to stop it.”
REPORTED THREATS
He told journalists that he had reported the threats at Nyali Police Station, to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and other relevant security agencies but nothing has been done.
“I gave the names of the suspects to the police who promised to investigate, but I have not been informed of the progress of investigations. If the police fail to protect us, we will protect ourselves and I warn that it will be dangerous,” he said.
An officer in Mr Joho’s office, who didn’t want to be quoted because if the sensitivity of the matter, dismissed the claims as stupid and ridiculous.
“The governor cannot stoop that low. He does not even want to waste his time to respond to such stupidity aimed at making some people politically relevant,’’ said the officer.
On Monday, Mr Awiti claimed that a Subaru and a Mitsubishi trailed him on Saturday to Mamba Village, with the occupants “hiding behind’’ dark glasses.
He also cited another instance where he said he was threatened as he drove towards Nyali in the company of his wife and was promised investigations would be done when he reported to the police . He attributed all the threats to politics and accused his main rivals of being behind them.
On Monday, the MP demanded to be given more security officers adding, “I will not tolerate these threats any longer because I am also a man and I am not afraid of death”.
