Kisii deputy governor accuses authorities of withdrawing his bodyguards

Kisii Deputy Governor Joash Maangi has accused authorities of recalling his security team without giving any explanation. 

Mr Maangi has attributed his woes to his close relationship with Deputy President William Ruto.

“I am being persecuted because of my close association with the deputy president,” said Mr Maangi, who is Dr Ruto’s pointman in Gusii.

In a statement to media houses Tuesday, Mr Maangi said some top national and county government officials were focused on frustrating him. He threatened to take legal action to compel them to reinstate his security detail.

“I have already consulted my lawyers who will be moving to court to compel the national government to restore my security,” said Mr Maangi.

The deputy governor explained that he is entitled to have security aides because of his position as a top leader in Kisii County.

He claimed his security was withdrawn on October 19 in unclear circumstances.

Top security officers in Kisii did not comment on the issue.

Kisii County Commissioner Jaldesa Abdirasack and County Commander Jebel Munene neither picked phone calls nor responded to text messages from the Nation.

“The recall of my security points to a worrying trend in the country where some top government officials rule with impunity,” said Mr Maangi.

Earlier this month, about six people, including a ward rep, were arrested and charged with incitement to violence at the Kisii law courts.

ODM Kisii branch chairman Samuel Omwando, who now supports the deputy president, Bobaracho Ward Rep Ibrahim Ongubo and some bloggers allied to Dr Ruto were among those arrested.

Security agencies were on the watch out after some allies of DP Ruto threatened to storm the stadium during the marking of Mashujaa Day.

This was after Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, while speaking in Nyamira during fundraisers presided over by DP Ruto, sensationally claimed that the invited guests are close to the dynasties and called on all ''hustlers'' who are the real heroes to come out in large numbers and attend the celebrations.

“Rich people from Nairobi will attend the celebrations. Without a card bearing your name and where you are from, you will not access the stadium. If your father was not a senior chief, minister or vice-president, there is no entering there. But we are telling you we will go there, because this our country and we are all heroes,” said Mr Nyoro.

He went on to say that Kenyans voted overwhelmingly for the Jubilee administration and that one's family background did not matter then.

But the Mashujaa Day event went on uninterrupted with President Kenyatta saying it was one of the most successful events. The President, who spent a night at Kisii State Lodge, thanked Kisii residents for the warm welcome accorded to him.

“I would like to appeal to Interior and National Coordination Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i to intervene to ensure that my security is back. I have not done anything wrong to warrant their withdrawal,” said Mr Maangi who is not new to controversy.

Mid-March this year, the Kisii Deputy Governor recorded a statement with police for allegedly assaulting a female domestic worker.

Police sources told the Nation that the alleged assault happened during the 2019 Christmas celebrations at Mr Maangi’s Riagongera rural home in Bomachoge Chache.

In January this year, the DG reported that his life was in danger and claimed that a number of police officers had stormed his Kisii home and demanded to take his official car with them, and that he is now being taunted for crimes that he does not know.

“A contingent of about 12 armed policemen came to my residence in Kisii town at about 4am, ready with a vehicle to tow away my county government allocated vehicles. My domestic staff offered to give them the keys and they took away the vehicles,” he told the Nation.

He further claimed that while he was travelling from Nairobi to Kisii, he was trailed by a white pick-up which had government registration numbers.

Mr Maangi, who is serving his second term in office, said his driver managed to dodge the pick-up and he took a different route.

“All this I have reported to police and investigations into the matter are ongoing,” he said, noting that his tribulations started on the morning of the Building Bridges Initiative consultative meeting held at Kisii Sports Club and later a public rally held at Gusii Stadium.

Mr Maangi has severally taken delegations to the DP's homes in Karen and Sugoi.

Some employees who are said to have been employed through the DG have in the last one week sustained a social media campaign in support of Mr Maangi.