Mombasa police probing politicians planning election-related violence

Police in Mombasa are investigating a section of politicians suspected of recruiting youth into militia groups purposely to use them to unleash terror in the run up to the August 8 General Election.

Speaking during Labour Day celebrations in Mombasa, area Deputy County Commissioner, Mohamed Maalim, disclosed that security agencies are the process of gathering crucial information before taking action against the suspects.

“We have intelligence that some leaders want to use the youth. They are telling them to abandon their daily jobs promising them that they have better jobs for them. But the good thing is that we have profiled those youth, we have their pictures, their contacts and we know where they stay. So we are telling leaders with plans to misuse the youth during the campaigns or during the elections to look for another country,” said Maalim.

Maalim said that that leaders seeking elective posts in Mombasa County have retreated to using criminal gangs to scare their opponents and causing mayhem, a trend he said the government would not be tolerate.

On his part, Nyali Member of Parliament, Hezron Awiti, said that the high unemployment rate among the youth in the region has exacerbated the situation.

He, however, urged the authorities to deal firmly with the culprits and bring to justice all persons planning to misuse the vulnerable youth.

This year’s Labour Day celebrations in Mombasa County witnessed low turnout levels with many residents deciding to stay indoors following heavy downpour.