Governor Joho refuses to disclose his current residence as police raid his friends’ houses

Mombasa Governor Hassan Ali Joho claims his relatives and friends have been frustrated and attacked by security officials to get back at him.

Joho stated that a friend's house was raided by police claiming to be searching for illegal firearms.

He did not disclose where the raid occurred but The Standard established that a raid was conducted on a warehouse or homestead in the Nyali area.

Senator Hassan Omar and Nelson Marwa have claimed in the wake of Joho's recent troubles with the Jubilee government that the governor's family or friends hold many guns. Joho's office has denied these claims.

A tough-talking Joho revealed he was going through trying moments as he headed for the elections but added that he will not contest the withdrawal of his security by the national government saying he was happy without the guards.

Speaking during the signing of a financing agreement between the Aga Khan Health Services and Agence Francaise De Development (Afd) at Aga Khan hospital Mombasa, Joho said he has been going through trying moments in his life which required prayers.

"I have been going through a lot of things in my life and we should pray as we head to the elections this year," he said.

The governor expressed his displeasure over the national government failure to allow him choose the security officers to guard him.

"I am not going to contest the deployment of security guards to protect me. I am happy without them and I am not going to disclose my current residence," Joho said.

Briefing the media outside the hospital later, Joho said when he served as MP for Kisauni, VIP used to select security officers to protect them but wondered why this was not the case when he became governor when the bodyguards are chosen for him.

"We should do this country a favour by discussing issues of national importance. I am a Muslim and I know God will protect me," he said before he walked for about a kilometre from the hospital to the nearby Masjid Ridhwa for Friday prayers.

Joho said the county government will not give up dealing with petty crimes and traffic marshalling in the city even after the recent standoff with the police.

"We will work within the Constitution and we refuse to be treated as a department of the national government," Joho said.