Police break up Hassan Joho rally at Kinango in Kwale

Police have disrupted political rallies organised by embattled Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and his Kilifi counterpart Amason Kingi in Kwale County.

The combined force of Regular and General Service Unit policemen on Thursday first dispersed a crowd that had gathered at Kinango ready to be addressed by Mr Joho, Mr Kingi and other ODM leaders.

RIOT GEAR

The security personnel in full riot gear lobbed tear gas canisters into the crowd, forcing them to scamper for safety.

Others were clobbered to leave the venue as Mr Joho’s chopper over-flew the area.

Efforts by Mr Joho and Mr Kingi to later address the ODM supporters, some of whom sported Orange T-shirts, were futile.

Police insisted they had not been notified of the event, and that another meeting had been planned at the venue, Kinango market.

Are police chief Fredrick Lai's representative Lawrence Charo said the venue had been booked for a medical public baraza.

HELTER-SKELTER

He said police were on the ground “to do their job” and that no arrests were made.

He said the ODM leaders defied police orders to hold their rally in another venue.

ODM supporters were also forced to run helter-skelter before Mr Joho’s brigade arrived in MP Khatib Mwashetani Lunga Lunga constituency.

Mr Mwashetani, who was elected on a Ford-Kenya ticket, is allied to the Jubilee Party.

Mr Joho’s events in Matuga and Msambweni in the county that overwhelmingly voted for ODM in the 2013 polls were also cancelled.

DEFECTIONS

Jubilee Party has been trying to penetrate the county and got a boost following the defection of Governor Salim Mvurya, Woman Rep Zainab Chidzuga and Lunga Lunga MP Khatib Mwashetani to the party.

Mr Mvurya and Ms Chidzuga were elected on ODM tickets before falling out with Party Leader Raila Odinga while Mr Mwashetani flew the Ford-K flag.

Mr Mvurya refuted claims by ODM leaders that he was involved in the disruption of the rallies, saying he was in Kinango after he was invited by Kenya Medical Training College for a sensitisation meeting at the same venue where Mr Joho was to address a rally.

“I am not aware why the meeting was disrupted because I don’t give permits. There are procedures to be followed,” he said.

TEAR-GASED

Mr Joho condemned the break-up of his meetings and accused the Jubilee government of being behind the scheme.

He said police were being used in Jubilee Party campaigns yet they have a responsibility to protect all Kenyans.

“It is wrong for police to be misused to harass and intimidate Kenyans. The era of police intimidation is over. They cannot be used to disrupt meetings and cause chaos on behalf of Jubilee Party,” he said.

He said Kenyans would soon turn against police being used to infringe on their rights.

“In Kinango, old women have been chased away and tear-gased by GSU who arrived in trucks,” he said.

RIGHTS

He said the police action would only embolden his move with Governors Kingi and John Mruttu to unite Coast residents and vote out Jubilee administration in the August polls.

Mr Joho said Kenya is a democratic state and that everyone is free to move anywhere in the country.

He vowed to continue with his meetings in all Coast counties to enlighten locals of their rights and campaign.

“We will continue highlight issues affecting our people,” Mr Joho said, adding that reports indicated there were also plans to disrupt a major ODM rally slated for Tononoka grounds in Mombasa on Sunday.

MARWA DENIES

He said just as security was heightened during President Kenyatta and other Jubilee Party leaders rally in Tononoka two weeks, the ODM event should also be well covered.

Coast Regional Coordinator Nelson Marwa, who had earlier warned Mr Joho to confine his meetings in Mombasa County, said he was not aware of the disruptions.

“You should ask Joho,” Mr Marwa told the Nation.

Mr Marwa also gave police a one-week ultimatum to arrest a drug baron he said supplies heroin to the entire South Coast

Mr Marwa spoke during Makonde community celebrations before the police disrupted Mr Joho’s rallies.