My hands clean on Tana Delta chaos, says Haji

By NGUMBAO KITHI

Defense minister Yusuf Haji has admitted owning property in war-torn Tana Delta but denied reports linking him to the recent wave of insecurity in the district.

Months ago Tana Delta District witnessed tribal clashes, between the Orma and Pokomo that left more than 130 residents and police officers killed. During the violence Haji and assistant minister Dhadho Godhana, who is the MP for Galole, traded accusations over the cause of the violence with the latter accusing Haji of expansionism.

Haji admitted owning property in a riverine strip in Coast Province that faces his Ijara Constituency in North Eastern Province. He further admitted River Tana is not the natural boundary between the two provinces.

“The boundary between Coast and Tana River region is about three and half miles from the river going to North Eastern Province,” he told the judicial commission investigating the violence in Mombasa, yesterday.

The minister also said despite his property being physically in Coast Province, it is managed from Ijara of North Eastern.