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Deputy President calms party crisis in Mombasa

Wednesday, December 22nd, 2021 00:00 | By
Deputy President William Ruto. PHOTO/COURTESY

Harrison Kivisu and Charles Lwanga

Deputy President William Ruto yesterday held a crisis meeting in Mombasa, after some United Democratic Alliance (UDA) aspirants were assaulted by unknown thugs shortly after his arrival in Mombasa on Saturday.

The DP chaired the meeting at a Mombasa hotel to calm the subsequent rifts before he headed to Tana River County.

According to sources who attended the meeting, the DP made it clear that UDA will not tolerate political violence.

“All is well now. The DP has sorted out the issues and everything is now according to plan,” said one of the aspirants who attended the meeting.

Cracks had emerged among UDA foot soldiers in Mombasa with some members and officials threatening to leave the party.

The wrangles started after two UDA Mombasa politicians were attacked by suspected hired goons on Saturday night, when they attempted to join the DP for a dinner meeting hosted at one of Ruto’s trusted lieutenants in Mombasa’s upmarket Nyali Estate.

The two, gubernatorial hopeful Sanjeev Argawal and Party Regional Coordinator, Mohamed Salim alias Tenge were attacked and injured alongside their aides, during the Saturday night incident.

Addressing the media at his Majengo residence where he is recuperating, an agitated Tenge strongly condemned the violence meted on him by goons suspected to have been hired by rival party members within Mombasa County.

“It is such a pity that those of us who have put in efforts and used our own resources to popularize the party in Mombasa and the region are the ones who are being treated like trash by people who have hijacked the party in Mombasa for their selfish political interests,” said Tenge.

The 47-year-old accused a group of party politicians, including a sitting MP and a national official for colluding to block some of them from accessing the DP during his weekend tour of the Coast region for a series of rallies.

He called on the police to investigate the attack on them and prosecute anyone found to have hired the goons to orchestrate the brutal attack against them.

“I call on the government through the security agencies to investigate this matter and find out the real intention they had, it seems they wanted to end my life,” added Tenge.

He further warned the DP to be wary of some close allies in Mombasa saying that they were going to cost him political support in the larger Coast region.

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