Police in Mombasa have arrested County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Lands, Urban Planning and Housing in connection with an incident where a 25-year-old blogger was abducted, assaulted and sexually abused.
The CECM Mohamed Hussein was arrested while taking lunch with a workmate at a restaurant in the central business district. He was expected to be arraigned at the Shanzu Law Court.
Mombasa Chief of Staff Dr Noah Akala said Hussein was picked up by seven officers and after making calls to various authorities they established that he was being grilled at the Regional Police Headquarters.
“This is another arrest in a series of unfortunate persecutory events over the past two weeks levelled against the Governor of Mombasa and his supporters for no crime other than leading the people of Mombasa in the manner that befits them,” said Akala at the Governor’s Office.
He linked the arrest to the appointment of Selina Maitha to be the Chairperson of Mombasa Water Supply and Sanitation Company. Maitha is a former running mate of Hassan Omar now EALA MP and UDA Acting Secretary General in the 2022 gubernatorial election.
“It seems that this move has angered certain quarters who now move around this country and this city calling press conferences hurling insults and abuse at the Governor, threatening members of his family, his staff and supporters,” claimed Akala.
The Chief of Staff said that those who were defeated by Governor Abdulswamad Nassir in the 2022 election are resorting to the abuse of security agencies to pursue a political agenda.
“We would urge them rather than continue in this nefarious scheme of trying to tarnish the Governor’s name with no basis whatsoever to prepare themselves to face the people in 2027. The people will decide whether the Governor is fit for leadership,” said Akala.
He further denied accusations that the Governor would resort to any form of violence against political opponents.
“He has been in elective politics for 13 years. He comes from a prominent political family that has been in politics for over three decades. Why at this stage would they now be all over suddenly sensitive to abuse that comes from certain people in the social media? This is something that they are accustomed to and it’s not new,” said Akala.
He added that they will continue to use persuasion to win votes rather than violence. He termed the case political witch hunt adding: “Unfortunately, someone who was rejected by the public is now trying to use the backdoor to find his way into political office. They will prove the CEC’s innocence in court.
Four other suspects were arraigned last week and are in remand for 14 days pending the completion of investigations.
– By Sadik Hassan, KNA
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