Governor Hassan Joho rules out peace talks with Commissioner Marwa

Governor Ali Hassan Joho addressing Eid Baraza in Mombasa.

MOMBASA COUNTY: The turf war between Mombasa Governor, Mr Ali Hassan Joho and area County Commissioner Nelson Marwa took a new twist after the former dismissed calls for a truce.

Joho Tuesday said that he has no apology to make over his attacks on Marwa saying that the commissioner had failed to tame runaway crime in the city.

A section of Coast leaders have continued to pile pressure on Joho and Marwa ro bury their differences and work together to combat insecurity in the port city but Tuesday it was clear that the governor was not ready to back out.

“I have no apology to make over my differences with the county commissioner, Nelson Marwa, I was elected by the people of Mombasa to lead them and he is just an appointee,” Joho said during an Eid Baraza in Mombasa.

Mr Marwa did not attend the Eid Baraza and the Mombasa sub commissioner, Mr Hassan Salim attended the function.

The governor lamented over many police roadblocks in the town saying that they were being used to collect bribes and frustrate the locals given that they have not been able to reduce insecurity in the town.

 “There is unprecedented rise of crime in the city despite the many roadblocks in the town. These roadblocks are cash cows aimed to drain the locals especially the Boda-boda and Matatu operators. They should be removed,” he said.

He said that despite huge deployment of security forces in the city the number of attacks by militiamen and other armed gangs had continued to increase adding that the trend indicates that the commissioner has been overwhelmed and should be replaced.

The governor reiterated his claims that the Mombasa County commissioner, Mr Nelson Marwa was “a very junior official and must respect him given that he was elected by the people and I want it to be known, I have no apology to make, the county commissioner must know

I was elected by the people of Mombasa and not appointed by an individual like him,” he said.

He said it was sad that during the Ramadhan celebration in Lamu, the police stormed a place and flushed out Muslims celebrating.

Mombasa senator, Mr Hassan Omar Sarai said the introduction of County commissioners in the new dispensation by the Jubilee administration was aimed to stifle devolution and undermine the powers of the governors.

 He defended CORD coalition’s move to strip off Kilifi North MP, Gideon Mungaro the position of minority chief whip saying that the Mp had become a rebel and shifted his allegiance to the ruling coalition.

 “The CORD leadership is right, you cannot have one position managed by somebody who has shown disloyal to the party,” he said.

The Eid Baraza was attended by Changamwe MP, Omar Mwinyi, Jomvu MP, Badi Twalib, Kisauni MP, Rashid Juma Bedzimba, Nyali MP, Awiti Bolo and Mombasa women MP, Mishi Mboko and Kwale nominated senator, Dr Agnes Zani.

Mr Omar Mwinyi described the eating of Miraa as one of the biggest challenge in Mombasa and must be fought and managed.

He said the cultured where the local people enjoy chewing Miraa was unfortunate and must be fought ant ensure the drug was not the lifeline of the local people in the island town.

“The miraa chewing in Mombasa is now a big challenge, we must stop this miraa chewing and focus our attention to development,” he said.

The Mombasa women representative, Ms Mboko said the elected leaders have the wish of the people to fight for their right and would continue to do so as long as their issues were not addressed by the Government.

The chief guest, the chief Kadhi of Kenya, Sheikh Ahmed Mudhar called for peace among the Muslim community.

He said the request to have another public holiday after Ramadahan would be taken to the public service for consideration.

“Some Muslims have requested to have another public holiday after the Ramadan, this is a matter that must be considered by the public service for consideration,” he said.