- The radio station is associated with Governor Nassir’s family. It is not clear why the KRA officers raided the offices.
- The governor linked the raid to his ban on muguka in Mombasa county that has elicited strong and mixed reaction across the country.
Image: JOHN CHESOLI
Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir came out guns blazing on Wednesday after Kenya Revenue Authority officers raided his family business in what is suspected to be an offshoot of the muguka ‘war’.
The KRA officers mid-morning descended on the Radio Rahma offices at Mkomani in Nyali and attempted to cart away equipment.
The radio station is associated with Governor Nassir’s family. It is not clear why the KRA officers raided the offices.
“They came and told us they are shutting down the station and want to take out the equipment. They didn’t tell us why,” a reporter at the station told the Star.
On getting word of the raid, Nassir, who was heading to his office for a meeting with Coast leaders over their invitation to State House, Nairobi for talks with President William Ruto over the muguka ban, rushed to the station’s offices.
An angry Nassir confronted the officers, who refused to back down, causing a commotion that had started to attract onlookers along the street.
The governor linked the raid to his ban on muguka in Mombasa county that has elicited strong and mixed reaction across the country.
This came two days after Embu political leaders led by Governor Cecily Mbarire met President Ruto at State House, Nairobi seeking his help to have the ban lifted in a two-thronged approach alongside court action.
The Embu leaders met Ruto on Monday, after which Ruto declared that muguka is a scheduled crop in accordance with the Crops Act 2013 and the Miraa Regulations 2023.
On Tuesday, the President held phone conversations with governors Nassir, Gideon Mung’aro (Kilifi) and Andrew Mwadime (Taita Taveta) who have all banned the sale, transportation, distribution and use of miraa in their counties.
"Governors Nassir (Mombasa), Mungaro (Kilifi) and Mwadime (Taita-Taveta) have agreed to participate in a meeting of all stakeholders to be convened by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock this week as was agreed with the leadership of Embu County on Monday," Ruto said Tuesday.
However, this could have a different picture after the Wednesday raid on Nassir’s family business.
“People think they will intimidate us using every means possible. They think shutting the radio station will silence us because we use the radio to discourage people from chewing muguka,” Nassir said.
“In fact that gives me more fuel.”
Nassir said if that is the case, they will have to shut down all radio stations in Mombasa because they all amplify what Mombasa residents are saying.
“And Mombasa residents have said no to muguka. Do whatever you want but this (war on muguka) will go on,” Nassir said.
He said for the first time in his life he has been slapped with five different court cases at the same time all related to muguka.
His sentiments were supported by other Coastal leaders who came to show him support.
They included MPs Mishi Mboko (Likoni), Mohamed Machele (Mvita), Rashid Bedzimba (Kisauni), county assembly speakers Aharub Khatri (Mombasa) and Teddy Mwambire (Kilifi), and deputy governors Francis Thoya (Mombasa) and Saru Kilalo (Taita Taveta).
Khatri said the county assembly will use the by-laws in existent to ensure muguka is not distributed in the county.
“We will also call a special meeting and debate on the County Finance Bill 2024 which we will implement fully,” Khatri said.
He said they will carry a box of muguka to take to the President so that he consumes it and experience its effects.
The speaker directed the inspectorate officers to go to Kongowea market and ensure all traders who forced the entry of their muguka boxes into Mombasa and the market to pay Sh6,000 per box.
This is after muguka transporters earlier clashed with county askaris at Bonje Cess Point and forced their way into Mombasa without paying the necessary cess.
Several people were injured in the scuffle.
Later in the day, unknown people forced their way into Kongowea market and clashed with the muguka traders saying they are destroying Mombasa youth.
The traders said they counted losses running into millions of shillings.
There are about 400 muguka traders at Kongowea market.
Nassir said the muguka war is not his personal battle but that of the people of the Coast region.
“This is a battle for the whole of this region. It is not about Abdulswamad. It is about the hundreds of youth at Port Reitz and rehabilitation centres because of muguka,” he said.
He said ‘orders from above’ will not stop the awakened people of Mombasa from fighting muguka.
He said some leaders are determined to destroy Coastal youth through every means necessary including drugs and now muguka.
“You can strip everything from us but you will never ever strip our dignity,” Nassir said.
Bedzimba questioned the timing of the KRA raid on Radio Rahma.
He said Nassir has the right to speak against whatever he thinks affects his residents.
“Radio Rahma is one the radio stations that has been preaching against muguka. We will not allow it to be used in a war that has nothing to do with the station,” the Kisauni MP said.
Mboko said Radio Rahma is a private business that is a different entity to the county government and should not be pulled into political wars.
“County government of Mombasa speaks and acts on behalf of the Mombasa residents. If the majority have their way, the minority have their say,” Mboko said.
She said they will still stand firm against muguka.
“We the parents and wives know what we are going through because of muguka. We are the wearer of the shoe,” she said.
She called on President Ruto to be fair to all parties and not act in any bias towards anyone.
“You are a father and you should treat all children equally,” she said.
Kilifi county assembly speaker Mwambire faulted President Ruto on how he has handled the muguka ban so far.
He said the ban on muguka is not a decision of the executives alone, but the decision of all Coastal residents.
“If we are the ones who complained of being bewitched, how can you go and talk to the witch instead of talking to the victim?” Mwambire posed.
He said as a region, they are ready for talks but the talks should be sober and balanced.
Taita Taveta deputy governor Saru Kilalo said all women who give birth expect their children to grow to become important people in society.
However, muguka curtails this expectation, she said.
“There is great harm in chewing this muguka. Our children have become like animals always chewing cud,” she said.
She faulted President Ruto, accusing him of taking sides.
Machele said there needs sobriety in the muguka debate.
He also faulted Ruto’s stand saying it is the youth at the Coast that are affected by the muguka.
“We should not be led by emotions or profits,” he said.
Image: BRIAN OTIENO