Issa Timamy is a scape-goat, says Musalia Mudavadi

Amani Coalition Leader Musalia Mudavadi addresses the Press at Moi International Airport in Mombasa on June 27, 2014. He condemned the arrest of Mr Timamy over the Lamu attacks. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT  NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• Mudavadi termed Mr Timamy’s arrest a cover up and the detention a violation of his rights
• The UDF leader said Mr Timamy could not have visited harm on people who voted for him and Deputy Governor Eric Mugo

By Wachira Mwangi
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The Amani Coalition on Friday rallied to the defence of detained Lamu Governor Issa Timamy and demanded his immediate release on bail.

 

Coalition and UDF leader Musalia Mudavadi said the best way in dealing with insecurity in the country was to have a commission of inquiry look into the Lamu attacks and similar incidents witnessed across the country and termed Mr Timamy’s arrest a cover up and the detention a violation of his rights.

Only a proper investigation would identify whether there are weaknesses within the security system and if so, have them addressed, said Mr Mudavadi.

“Issa Timamy is being used as a scapegoat so that some people somewhere can give the impression that they have tackled issues of insecurity.”

The UDF leader said Mr Timamy could not have visited harm on people who voted for him and Deputy Governor Eric Mugo, who is from Mpeketoni where more than 60 people were killed last week.

Mr Mudavadi criticised the government for playing down the Al-Shabaab angle in the Lamu attacks.

“I know that several friends of Kenya have shared intelligence with the security agencies pointing to an Al-Shabaab attack. I do not know why the Kenyan Government is ignoring this shared information.”

He was addressing journalists at Moi International Airport in Mombasa shortly after landing from Nairobi. He was accompanied by Mr Mugo and MPs Badi Twalib (Jomvu), Hassan Dukicha (Galole), John Bunyasi (Nambale), Alfred Agoi (Sabatia) and a group of Lamu MCAs.

THREATENING TEXT MESSAGES

The team visited Mr Timamy at the Port Police Station. Mr Mugo warned other leaders against drawing political mileage from the deaths in Lamu.

He disclosed that some leaders had threatened him with text messages and asked him to resign.

“I will make a statement over the texts and threatening calls. Our governor is still very innocent since no charges have been levelled against him. I am sure this is the work of malicious individuals who have been sleeping on their job,” he said.

On Friday, Mombasa County Woman Representative Mishi Mboko recorded a statement with the CID in Mombasa and is expected to face hate speech-related charges on Monday.

“We have been here with the County Woman Representative. She will appear in court on Monday,” Mombasa County DCIO Ndumba Thangalani told journalists in his office.

Ms Mboko was accompanied by two lawyers and was reluctant to talk to journalists, asking them to await her court appearance.

“I have already done my part. I am now waiting for Monday to appear in Court. We cannot talk much as the matter is already in Court,” she said.

The Director of Public Prosecutions ordered her prosecution over remarks she allegedly made during Madaraka Day celebrations in Mombasa.