Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir at Urban Police Station [Photo/ nation.co.ke]
Barely two weeks into 2017, Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho found himself up in arms with the security apparatus within the county.
January 13 turned out to be one of the most dramatic days in Joho's checkered political life as he was forced to spend the better part of the day at Urban Police Station after his dramatic arrest.
The drama started when the fiery Governor in the company of Mvita MP Abdulswamad Sharrif Nassir stormed the police station demanding the release of Ibrahim Khatri, his close ally, who had been arrested.
But the duo was not allowed to leave as they were arrested as well with police citing 'orders from above'. However, they were later released.
The move received serious condemnation from a group of Coast MPs led by Msambweni lawmaker Suleiman Dori and his Kisauni counterpart Rashid Bedzimba who visited Joho at the police station.
Earlier, police officers from the elite Flying Squad, estimated to be 10, stormed Khatri's home in Ganjoni in an operation that has remained shrouded in mystery.
The controversial arrest of the County Chief came barely a week after Senator Hassan Omar asked the government to scale down Joho's security detail. Omar had claimed that the Governor's security resembled that of a President.
A few days later, Coast Region Security Coordinator Nelson Marwa warned that they will crack down on all illegal firearm holders ahead of the August 8 poll.
Joho's arrest set in motion a series of other confrontations with the police for the better part of the year- which played a major role in elevating his political status.
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