[Coast regional coordinator Nelson Marwa. He has said police officers will be conducting swoops to ensure they rid the streets of bad elements. ] (File)
Coast regional coordinator Nelson Marwa has warned leaders paying police bonds for youth arrested in connection with crime.
According to Marwa, police have been given instructions to arrest leaders to probe their links with suspected criminals.
"There are leaders who, when these criminals are arrested, they go and pay bond at Bamburi (police station),” he said.
“These criminals have hurt people but you go pay bond for them. What is your relationship with them?" Marwa asked.
He added that police officers will be conducting swoops to ensure they rid the streets of bad elements.
"We have agreed with the regional security committee and county commissioner with his team that those leaders who will go to pay bond at police stations be arrested," he added.
Coastal leaders including Governor Hassan Joho, MPs Abdulswamad Nassir (Mvita) and Rashid Bedzimba (Kisauni have been in the fore against arrests of youth during police swoops in Kisauni, Mvita and Likoni, have been accused of shielding criminals in the past.
However, the leaders have always maintained that they are fighting for the rights of their constituents.
"We are focusing on those goons to ensure that we sterilise the area," insisted Marwa.
According to Marwa, the government will deal accordingly with youths causing chaos at political rallies, noting that the leaders or politicians will not intimidate them.