ODM lashes out at Jubilee for recalling governors' security team

The government has withdrawn the security detail of Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho and his Kilifi counterpart Amason Kingi, signalling a deteriorating relation between the establishment and opposition leaders at the Coast.

Security officers drawn mainly from the General Service Unit were ordered to report to their stations.

“Around 2 am, every officer was ordered on the phone to return to his station and unit. There was no formal recalling,” Kisauni MP Rashid Bedzimba told a press conference called by Orange Democratic Movement lawmakers to protest the order.

They accused Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery of being used by the government to intimidate the opposition.

“The Mombasa governor has a constitutional right to security just like the President, deputy president, cabinet secretaries and other top officials,” Jomvu MP Badi Twalib said.

The withdrawal of the two governors’ security was curiously followed by a memo from police headquarters warning officers and vehicles against escorting and clearing roads for county government officials.

In the memo sent to police commanders on Friday, Senior Assistant Inspector-General of Police King’ori Mwangi warned that any officer providing escort and chase cars to the officials would face disciplinary action “including dismissal”.

“Police headquarters has noted with a lot of concern that police vehicles and officers are escorting county government officials and sometimes clearing roads at the expense of other road users,” the memo read.

He directed regional and county commanders “to take severe disciplinary action against such rogue officers, including interdicting them”.

Mr Mwangi said the directive also targeted officers from other services, including the Administration Police.

“You are further directed not to allow county government official vehicles to use the wrong side of any road,” he added.

“Besides the presidency, all protocol regarding chase cars and escorts are done as directed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” the memo added.

INTIMIDATING JOHO

ODM demanded the immediate reinstatement of the governors’ security detail, saying the government was “in the habit of intimidating Governor Joho whenever he differs with it”.

“This withdrawal of Mr Joho’s security, while illegal, has become an annual event during the Jubilee regime. Every December, President Uhuru Kenyatta comes to the Coast on holiday and tries to promote his party and his regime by undermining the work and the standing of the governor and other leaders allied to ODM,” the party said in a statement signed by Director of Elections Junet Mohamed.

“Being a firm believer in ODM, Governor Joho naturally fights back by stating facts as best as he understands them. The Head of State gets angry and the illegal security withdrawal follows. These are later overturned by courts as unconstitutional.”

Separately, a defiant Kingi said the decision to withdraw his security would not make him change his political stand.

The Kilifi County boss said his security was withdrawn on Friday night.

About 20 security officers were assigned to the two leaders.

Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi condemned the government’s move, saying it exposed the governors to harm.

“US President Obama didn’t withdraw Trump’s security even when the Republican called him all sorts of names. The government must rethink its decision, which places the lives of its rivals at risk,” Mr Mudavadi said.

ODM chairman John Mbadi said the government would be held responsible if anything happened to Mr Joho and Mr Kingi.

“I wonder why National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale retained his security after uttering hate messages,” Mr Mbadi said.

SHOW DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

He repeated assertions by the Mombasa governor that projects launched by President Kenyatta were funded by donors, adding that those statements were behind the withdrawal of Mr Joho’s security detail.

The withdrawal of the two governors’ security took place less than 48 hours after Mr Joho told the President to his face to show any development projects his government had initiated at the Coast and less than 24 hours after Mr Kingi issued a similar statement in his Kilifi backyard.

The two governors have been vocal in criticising the Jubilee Government.

Mr Joho on Friday differed with the President during the latter’s launch of a footbridge project in Mombasa town.

The Mombasa County boss is in Ghana with ODM leader Raila Odinga.

Addressing journalists at Timboni Primary School yesterday after launching Centum Scholarship programme for 50 students, Mr Kingi said the government should have informed him why his security was being withdrawn.

“We wonder why this is happening as the General Election approaches,” he said.

“Even without bodyguards, Kilifi residents will protect their governor.”

Governor Kingi said if the intention of withdrawing his security was to frustrate and make him join Jubilee, it would not work.

“They target me and Mr Joho because of our firm stand in ODM. I am in ODM and will not change my mind,” he added and vowed to continue telling the truth and highlighting Jubilee’s failures.

Additional reporting by Charles Lwanga, Zaddock Angira, Samuel Kazungu