State now withdraws Governors Hassan Joho and Amason Kingi's security

Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho (right) with Coast Police Commander Francis Wanjohi at the police headquarters in the county Thursday. [PHOTO: MAARUFU MOHAMED/STANDARD]

MOMBASA: The Government has withdrawn some police officers attached to Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and his Kilifi counterpart Amason Kingi.

Mr Joho's bodyguards were withdrawn early Thursday while Mr Kingi's were taken away shortly after 4.30pm.

Police headquarters later said not all security officers attached to the duo had been withdrawn, noting what had happened was a reorganisation of security for all governors.

Police headquarters in a statement said all 47 governors would now each have five security officers, down from 15.

But last evening, Joho's and Kingi's offices said all officers seconded to them had been recalled without any explanation. Joho said two Administration Police officers deployed to his home and five regular police officers stationed at his offices were recalled.

Similarly, Kingi told a rally in Kwale that the eight policemen guarding his official residence in Kilifi and private residence in Nyali were taken away. He accused Jubilee of intimidating governors.

Coast Regional Police Commander Francis Wanjohi confirmed that the security officers were recalled to undergo 'training' and that Joho could formally apply for replacements.

"Today morning at around 10.30am, Urban Police Deputy OCPD Patrick Njoroge came to my office to inform me that he was under instructions from his seniors to withdraw my security including my bodyguards and AP officers who have been manning my residence," said Joho.

Joho, who later visited Mr Wanjohi to discuss the matter, said he was not scared by the State's action. "Now the Office of the Governor has no security and neither do I have bodyguards but that does not worry me. I know God will protect me," he said. He said the State had a political motive.

The development came on a day that Coast Regional Co-ordinator Nelson Marwa accused Joho and Kingi of orchestrating violence in Monday's Malindi by-election in which Jubilee lost.

There were reports of armed men attacking people during the mini-polls. On Wednesday, Mr Marwa claimed police officers attached to Joho, Kingi and Kilifi County MP Aisha Jumwa unleashed violence in Malindi. But Joho linked the withdrawal of the security men to Jubilee's loss in the by-election.