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An angry Joho on Tuesday said insinuations by the President and his deputy William Ruto that he was involved in the illegal business were meant to sabotage his political career.
“They did the same in 2013 and I kept quiet. But this time round, I will not shut up; I will engage them because nobody can intimidate me. I am also a man and will fight for myself,” he said as quoted by a local daily.
The sultan of Mombasa as he likes to refer to himself spoke just days after both President Kenyatta and his deputy toured Mombasa and warned that the government would arrest drug dealers.
The visits came in the wake of the arrest of the Akasha brothers and their allies who were extradited to the US on drug related charges.
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The governor, accused president Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto of waging a political war against him using the drugs issue, adding that the government lacked the political will to fight the menace.
“They are making a public show that is all false. It is a political ploy to lock me out of the governor race. I tell them I will be on the ballot and I will defeat them. How can you tell a bank robber or a rapist that I will come for you? How can you give such a criminal notice? Just arrest him,” a furious Joho said.
Jubilee is keen to unseat Joho as mombasa governor and over the weekend, the DP endorsed Joho's critic, Suleiman Shahbal to face off with the incumbent in the August polls.
Joho has been on a warpath with the jubilee administrations since coming to power, in late 2015, he publicly lectured president Uhuru for snubbing him while in Mombasa for a fortnight.
Following the public spat, Uhuru’s government in early 2016 shut down two container freight stations belonging to Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho’s family for weeks ignoring a court order ordering the opening of the terminal.
This is not the first time however, Joho is battling drugs allegations, he has been forced severally to come out and distance himself from the narcotics trade.
On January this year, the government through the Mombasa county commissioner, Nelson Marwa raided and ransacked the houses of Joho’s relatives and friends, alleging to search for weapons and drugs.