MOMBASA county government officials have dismissed claims that Governor Hassan Joho has allowed his elder brother to run county affairs.
Governor Joho’s handlers yesterday told the Star that anyone with evidence that Joho’s brother Abubakar is involved in the running of the county should come forward.
They dismissed claims by Nyali MP Hezron Awiti that that the governor is manipulated by powerful members of his family.
"If he has any proof that the brother is running the county, then let him table it. If he has any proof that the brother has signed any treaty or anything binding for the county, let him produce it. If he has seen the brother sitting in the Cabinet, let him prove it. Those are claims that cannot be substantiated," said one of Joho's top handlers, who did not want to be named.
“President Uhuru has a younger brother, Muhoho, does it mean that Muhoho is running the country since the two are related? Such claims are being made by people who are trying to fight the county government,” said another official who works in Joho’s office.
Joho’s elder brother, Abu, is a wealthy businessman in Mombasa and is said to own several companies in the Coast region, including some at the Mombasa port.
He is soft-spoken and does not like the limelight, although he shows up at many business and social gatherings.
At a press conference in Mombasa town yesterday, MP Awiti charged that Abu was in charge of the county. “We elected Hassan Ali Joho and not his brothers. We need him in Mombasa most of the time,” he said.
Joho is currently out of the country and is said to have gone for Umrah, a pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, performed by Muslims that can be undertakenany time of the year, unlike the Hajj.
The MP also condemned the demolition of kiosks in the county that has affected thousands of livelihoods in Likoni, Mvita and Nyali constituencies. The order was from county Transport executive Taufiq Balala, who said the move was part of a decongestion plan.
“We have given the county government 14 days to stop these demolitions, failing which we will mobilise all the hawkers, tuk-tuk operators and beach operators in a huge but peaceful demonstration,” said Awiti.
Awiti added that the tuk-tuk business in the county is one of its economic pillars and should not be interfered with. The county government stopped the registration of new tuk-tuks from July 1, arguing that they are a major cause of congestion on Mombasa roads.
He was accompanied by Kadzandani MCA Mohamed Ndanda, his Kongowea counterpart Jabess Oduor, Tuk-tuk operators chairman Mohamed Ali, beach operators and other tourism stakeholders and businessmen in the county.
