What transpired when Governor Joho and Kingi were arrested

Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho was last evening detained at the Coast Police Provincial Headquarters where he and other local opposition leaders had gone to inquire the fate of a close friend who was arrested in the morning after a raid by police on his house.

The governor went to the station at about 2pm accompanied by MPs Abdulswamad Nassir, Rashid Bedzimba, Suleiman Dori, MCAs and other politicians to see Arub Ibrahim Katri, a close ally of Mr Joho and a businessman in the county.

When the news of Mr Joho’s detention broke in the county, other local leaders and his supporters jammed the police station but were locked outside the gate. Among those locked out was Mr Joho’s lawyer Mr Mohamed Balala.

The lawyer told journalists: “The leaders had come here seeking Arub’s release on bail but they were told that there were orders from above. We are still in in the dark about the detention.’’

“It is not clear why they are being detained,’’ Mr Balala, who is also representing Mr Arub, said. “The governor has told me that they are ready to be taken to any police station in solidarity with Arub. We have been asked to bring for them food and clothes,’’ the lawyer a 6.54pm.