The government has ordered withdraw of armed security for three more ODM Members of Parliament; Hon Mishi Mboko, Hon Aisha Jumwa and Hon Irshad Sumra. MPs are entitled to atleast one armed bodyguard and a driver. Some MPs especially those close ties to Statehouse get as many as 6 armed guards.
The guards assigned to the MPs are said to have been withdrawn on orders from above (read Office of the President) and were directed to report to their respective Police stations/posts.
The ODM leaders are being punished for successfully thwarting Jubilee’s attempt to rig Malindi parliamentary by-election. The orders to recall armed security to Governors Hassan Joho and Amazon Jefwa Kingi and MPs Hon Sumra, Mishi Mboko and Aisha Jumwa and Abdulsamad Sharif Nassir is alleged to be the work of top Statehouse operatives.
Analysts have faulted the move saying it is likely to lead to radicalization of more youths in the Coastal region. The MPs who have been stripped off security are all Muslims and true to Kenyan politics the local strongholds often feel rattled whenever their leaders are intimidated.
The MPs targeted are mainly those that were active campaigners in Malindi and also were in the frontline to guard against vote rigging.
