Joho: I’m a target of Jubilee’s hypocrisy in war against drugs

Mombasa Governor, Ali Hassan Joho, has accused the national government of politicizing the war against drug trafficking in the Coast region and unfairly targeting him and other opposition leaders.

Joho has accused President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto, of seeking mileage and votes using the war against drug cartels and peddlers something he termed as ‘unfortunate’ and not genuine.

Speaking during a presser in Mombasa, the ODM governor termed the move as malicious saying he has been a target of unorthodox means in a bid to oust him as the Mombasa Governor.

“They started this war against me towards 2013 elections and I expected the same during this election,” said Joho.

A seemingly irate Joho rubbished claims of existing militia in Mombasa County further challenging security agencies to act on their claims.

Joho was reacting to a statement issued by the Coast Regional Coordinator, Nelson Marwa, who told the press of the presence of hired political gangs at the Coast whose agenda he said was to cause mayhem in Mombasa County ahead of August 8 polls.

Marwa further revealed that several legislators within Mombasa are currently under investigation for allegedly recruiting militia gangs to cause mayhem and intimidate opponents during or after the General Election.

“How do you give a criminal notice and you are the government or the police? Come and arrest them.

While referring to Deputy President’s visit to the Coast on Monday, Joho insisted that the Jubilee Government has not initiated any projects in Mombasa County rather all the projects launched were donor funded.

The Governor said he would not be intimidated saying that nothing will stop him from telling the truth to the people.

Joho’s address came just hours after a section of Coast MPs led by Mishi Mboko expressed similar remarks  accusing the Jubilee administration of tarnishing names of Coast leaders by linking them to drug barons ahead of August polls.

The MPs who were addressing the press at Parliament Buildings accused the Jubilee government of political witch hunt and using the crackdown to gain political mileage ahead of the August polls.

The war on drugs has so far seen two sons of slain drug baron Ibrahim Akasha and two foreigners extradited to the US to face drug-related charges.

This is after the extradition proceedings against the two; Baktash and Ibrahim Akasha and their two accomplices began in May 26, 2016.

The US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) spent years infiltrating the “Akasha organisation” which it alleges is a major smuggling operation connecting the poppy fields of Afghanistan to the cities of Europe and the United States.