Joho’s security detail withdrawal barbaric

The police and by extension the national government should stop harassing and intimidating Mombasa governor Ali Hassan Joho.

He has been embroiled in a fierce battle with the state over various issues but this time round the reason why his security is being targeted might be because of his political stand.

Joho’s fall out with the Jubilee government was evident when President Uhuru pitched tent at the Coast in January.

The governor had seven police officers attached to him withdrawn on the flimsy ground that this was part of a move to reduce the number of police officers attached to all the 47 governors.

It’s not lost to keen political observers that the withdrawal of the officers comes hot on the heels after jubilee suffered a defeat in the March 7 Malindi by-election. This might reveal elements of bad faith and abuse of power by the current government.

The move is barbaric and against the spirit of devolution and is aimed at cowering outspoken opposition governors.

Right thinking Kenyans and Mombasa residents in particular should condemn in the strongest possible terms the use of the security apparatus to intimidate the coastal governor.

Joho’s case is yet another clear indication that the Kenyan police may have become a compromised instrument in the hands of the jubilee government in its bid to forcefully intimidate opposition leaders.

Power seems to have gone into the heads of Coast Regional Coordinator Nelson Marwa and Regional Police Commander Francis Wanjohi who are allegedly harassing the outspoken governor over flimsy issues at the behest of the powers that be.

Last week the government withdrew Joho’s bodyguards and asked him to surrender his personal firearm a month after closing two container freight stations associated with his family.

It is claimed that the state has linked Autoport and Portside family businesses to smuggling contraband-accusations that the governor’s family vehemently denies.

It’s clear to all and sundry that Joho who is also the ODM party deputy leader was being targeted by the ruling jubilee administration because of his ardent support for the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD).

The government might be politically frustrating Joho who has declared his interest in vying for the presidency in 2022 by closing his businesses and now withdrawing his security detail.

It’s no secret that Joho who harbours presidential ambitions, has strongly displeased President Uhuru Kenyatta during his month long stay in Mombasa in January. Joho publicly accused Uhuru of snubbing him in his official engagements in the coastal city.

This criticism of the president’s month-long coast visit might be cited as the likely reason for all his tribulations.

The latest Joho’s tribulations emanate from the recent Malindi parliamentary by election in which Joho and his Kilifi counterpart Amason Kingi led a high powered campaign team for the ODM candidate Willy Mtengo who clinched the seat beating his main challenger the Jubilee Alliance Party candidate Philip Charo.

It’s now clear that the jubilee government is impervious to criticism and is exhibiting dictatorial and fascist tendencies in opposition strongholds ahead of the crucial 2017 general elections.