Minister charged with incitement over skirmishes

By LUCIANNE LIMO

Livestock Assistant Minister Dadho Godana became the first politician to be charged in court in connection with the Tana River clashes that have left 116 dead.

Mr Godana, who is also the Galole MP, was charged with two counts of incitement to violence.

The MP appeared before Magistrate Lucy Nyambura and denied the charges. He was released on Sh1 million bond with a surety of similar amount or a cash bail of Sh500,000.

Godana allegedly called for the removal of Defence Minister Yusuf Haji from the Internal Security docket failure to which there would be no peace in Tana River.

The assistant minister is accused that on August 30 during a talk show on a local TV station, he claimed Haji held expansionist ideology by trying to extend Ijara and Fafi constituencies projects to Tana River.

The legislator was also accused of saying that Haji herders were the ones who chopped off people’s hands and harassed them in Garsen area.

The MP was also accused of uttering words to the effect that the clans of Mr Abdikadir and Mr Mohammed had issues among themselves and had already made an environment for conflict.

The police said the utterances were meant to bring death or physical injury to the residents of the respective areas.

The Godana faced a second count of incitement to violence.

He was accused that on September 11 at Kilelengwani village in Tana Delta District, he uttered words to the effect “I am sure, I am certain that you are yet to see more, if Haji is not sacked from that docket.”

The case will be mentioned on September 26 and be heard in October.