Seven leaders face arrest over poll chaos
Mombasa County Governor Hassan Joho. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
The seven, led by Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, had been asked to appear before the CID office in Malindi at 10am Tuesday.
- Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir said it would be impossible to comply with the orders immediately and that he could only do so Thursday.
- CID chief Jacob Ngao confirmed he was conducting “general investigations” into the violence but did not say who he had summoned for questioning.
Seven ODM leaders could be arrested and charged with robbery with violence — which carries a mandatory life sentence — after they defied police orders to record statements with the Criminal Investigations Department on Tuesday.
The seven, led by Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, had been asked to appear before the CID office in Malindi at 10am Tuesday, but they declined to do so, saying they had important matters to attend to first.
Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir, who confirmed the summons, said it would be impossible to comply with the orders immediately and that he could only do so Thursday.
Speaking at Kwa Bulo grounds on Monday, where he officially opened a road built by the county, Mr Joho, who also confirmed receiving the police order, said he was busy and would only travel to Malindi on Thursday to help with investigations over the violence witnessed during the March 7 by-election.
Other leaders wanted in connection with the violence are Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi, Woman Representative Aisha Jumwa and Senator Stewart Madzayo, MPs Suleiman Dori (Msambweni) and Agostino Neto (Ndhiwa).
Police sources said the leaders could be arrested and charged with robbery with violence over several incidents of violence and robbery during the by-election, including the undressing of Ms Mary Mwanguo, a Jubilee supporter.
Several people, including Mwea MP Peter Gitau, Kabete MP Ferdinand Waititu, JAP campaign official Justin Rafiki and JAP supporter Fondo Wehu among those were allegedly beaten up and robbed of unspecified amounts of cash.
Mr Joho on Tuesday described the summons as a continuation of state intimidation of the Opposition following failure to clinch the Malindi National Assembly seat, which was captured by ODM’s William Mtengo.
“I just received a call on Monday that I should appear at Malindi Police Station yesterday. But I want to say that I cannot do so because I am busy. I can only go there on Thursday at 2pm,” said the governor, adding that the order was disrespectful to Mombasa residents because it had come too late.
“These people must know that I am the Governor of Mombasa and I cannot just be ordered around by anyone. I have a constitutional mandate to serve the people first and anything else comes second,” he said.
Mr Nassir and Kisauni MP Rashid Bedzimba said they would accompany the governor to Malindi.
“I, for one, cannot make it today. I have got Land Bills to present to Parliament and I cannot go to Malindi. But we shall all honour the summons because we have nothing to hide. Huu ni upuuzi” (This is nonsense). You cannot suppress the voice of the people. It will one day explode and the consequences will be big,” said Mr Nassir.
CID chief Jacob Ngao confirmed he was conducting “general investigations” into the violence but did not say who he had summoned for questioning.
“My job is to conduct investigations into what happened during the by-election. As for who will appear here, let us not go into that,” he said.
