Joho defies order to surrender firearm
Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho on Friday defied a Government directive requiring him to surrender his firearm.
Mr Joho announced at a mini-rally outside his offices in Kizingo that he would not return the gun as he had not misused it. He dared the authorities to arrest him if he had committed a crime.
“I have had the firearm for about 20 years now, and I have never misused it,’’ he told the rally that was closely monitored by police officers. The rally was also attended by some MPs and MCAs from the county.
The order by Chief Licensing Officer Samuel Kimaru came on the day seven police officers attached to the governor were withdrawn.
SECURITY WITHDRAWN
The two Administration Police officers who guard his house and five bodyguards were recalled on Thursday.
The Government said this was part of a move to reduce the number of police officers attached to the 47 county bosses.
Eight officers attached to Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi were also withdrawn, according to the county’s director of communications, Ms Margaret Chivila. Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir also said his bodyguard was withdrawn on Friday.
Mr Joho, who is also the ODM deputy party leader, and Mr Kingi claimed that the action was a form of harassment by the Government after their political outfit won the hotly contested Malindi Constituency seat on Monday.
