By By ERNEST CORNEL and MAUREEN MUDI for the Star
The government has denied claims by some Mombasa MCAs that it is planning to assassinate or stage the disappearance of Governor Hassan Joho.
Tudor MCA Patrick Simuyu claimed during Tuesday afternoon’s sitting that the assassination would take the form of a terror attack.
A senior government official who did not want to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter said the government cannot go to that extent.
Terming the claim “too extreme”, the official said: “The government cannot apply such unorthodox means.”
“If they feel that his life is in danger, the governor should apply for more security details. We respect the court decision (not to arrest him).”
The official added that “MCAs can say anything” and asked those making the “wild allegation” to swear an affidavit in court. He also questioned the Mombasa Speaker for allowing discussions on the matter.
Kipeveu MCA Ibrahim Kondo said Mombasa residents were on high alert while Old Town’s Mofard Amur said “Joho may be slain at any time”.
Amur said: “Look at what happened to JM Kariuki, Robert Ouko, Sorenei, Bishop Alexander Muge. They faced the same tribulations the Governor is facing.”
“What was the end result of their trials and persecutions under the hands of the former states? History speaks for itself.”
He said Joho’s popularity in national politics has made him a threat to the government.
“They can do anything to silence him. What I have witnessed since I was young is that leaders who opposed the government of the day and had clout with suffering people were either silenced or killed using state machinery,” he said.
Amur claimed that if not killed, Joho will be caused to suffer the post-traumatic stress disorder. He said symptoms will include flashbacks, severe anxiety, nightmares, depression and memory lapses.
Amur noted that the Governor’s position as ODM deputy party leader makes him a national figure. He said there would be “catastrophic retaliation” from ODM followers countrywide if anything happened to Joho.
Other MCAs present agreed with him saying there was also a possibility that Joho would be overthrown.
Speaker Thadius Rajwayi cautioned the MCAs against making such allegations saying “two wrongs do not make a right”.
In a phone interview with The Star on Tuesday, county Communications director Richard Chacha urged members to tone down.
“We don’t want to go that direction,” he said.
Joho’s security was withdrawn and he had been asked to surrender his firearms, in what his supporters have said concerns the Malindi MP by-election.
The High Court stopped Interior CS Joseph Nkaissery from arresting the Governor or withdrawing his firearms in a ruling on Tuesday evening.
Joho’s troubles started in 2014 following an intelligence report linking him, his family and the Akashas to drug trafficking and illegal activities at the Coast. The reported was shared between the CIA and the NIS.
During President Uhuru Kenyatta’s stay at the Coast in December-January, Joho accused the President of not acknowledging him despite being in his county.
He got into
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