Marwa orders security for Mombasa deputy governor

Coast Regional Coodinator Nelson Marwa has instructed Mombasa County police boss to provide Deputy Governor Hazel Katana with security.

Addressing journalists after a security meeting in Mombasa County on Monday, Marwa expressed concern over the deputy governor’s safety after reports emerged that she was working closely with the government.

Marwa claimed that members of Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho’s government were harassing the deputy governor and had threatened to recall her official car.

Katana had last week alleged that some of her staff had been withdrawn by the county government amid claims that she had been campaigning for Jubilee Candidate Phillip Charo in the Malindi parliamentary by-election.

Charo will face off with ODM’s Willy Mtengo who is being backed by the party’s supremos including Raila Odinga and Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho.

At the same time, Marwa has directed police to deal with criminal gangs that are sprouting in Mombasa ahead of next year’s General Election.

Some of the gangs that have emerged include Wakali Kwanza and Wakali Wao who have been accused of attacking people in Mombasa.

He said more security officials have been deployed in northern parts of Mombasa in a bid to flush out criminal gangs that have been harassing people in Kisauni area.

Last week several residents in Bakarani, Mshomoroni and Soko Mjinga areas were attacked and robbed by members of the two groups who had barricaded the old Malindi Kisauni road.

He further confirmed that officers of the General Service Unit (GSU) and other security personnel had been deployed in the area to deal with politicians who are planning to hire goons and cause chaos during the Malindi by-election.

Report by Patrick Kanga