Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Sharif Nassir found himself between a rock and hard place after he was directly linked to the assault and gang rape incident of a renowned Mombasa based blogger, Bruce John Kajira alias Chawa 001.
Bruce, a major critic of Governor Nassir, was on September 12, 2024 abducted at his home in Bamburi mwisho within Mombasa County by at least 10 people who lured him that he has been called by Nassir to apologise, after he criticised the Governor for laxity and failure in providing critical services to Mombasa residents.
Bruce is said to have verbally assaulted Nassir’s family too, a move that the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI), believed it led to the abduction, physical assault and gang rape of the victim.
The captors, some working for the Mombasa County Government took Bruce to an unknown destination—according to a police report made at Bamburi police station. They allegedly beaten him up, sodomised and put him in a sack—and later dumped him in a thicket in Mwakirunge, Kisauni Sub county while he was unconscious.
It was only for a good Samaritan who saw Bruce who had gained conscious and helped him back to his home.
The victim was taken to the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital (CGTRH) for urgent medical attention, but he was denied the badly needed treatment at that time. His friends took him to Beyond Scope, a private hospital located in Bakarani area within Kisauni Sub county where he received treatment and an assault report was compiled by doctors and Gender Based Violence (GBV) specialist. The report was handed to Bamburi police officers.
At least four people have been charged at the Shanzu law courts over the matter, three County officials and a bodaboda rider, who police stated that he was used to ferry the victim to the thicket on that material day.
Abdul Hassan Athuman, a bodaboda rider, Esther Muthoni, Violet Adera and Haji Babu Ndau Mohammed alias Jay all Mombasa County Government staff were charged with conspiracy to Commit a felony, abduction, gang rape, assault and causing actual body harm. They all pleaded not guilty and they are currently detained at the Shimo la tewa maximum prison in Shanzu, Mombasa County.
Jay who works as County Askari was arrested by DCI officials at Lukenya in Athi River onboard Dreamline bus trying to flee.
These events have sent the Governor into a panic mode since the DCI have dragged him into the case and have asked him to report to the DCI to record his statement as the assault case against Bruce hots up.
His mother too is expected to record a statement with the DCI over the matter, with more suspects including a County Executive Committee Member (CECM) in the pipeline according to the investigators.
Since the heinous incident, the Mombasa Governor has been on a low note until recently when he resurfaced during the American Ambassador Meg Whitman visit to Mombasa. He was spotted in Changamwe area where he gave a brief speech and left.
Protests
Human rights defenders protested the gross human rights violation meted against Bruce. They recently staged a protests along Moi Avenue to the Coast regional police headquarters in Kizingo, Mombasa demanding justice for Bruce.
Religious leaders too have been on Nassir’s neck stating that if indeed he was the one who sent the abductors, he should face the full force of the law.
The governor has since remained numb over the matter that has elicited mixed reactions among Mombasa residents.
On Thursday October 3, Nassir recorded statement at the Coast regional DCi headquarters in Mombasa.
Mombasa based human rights defenders have vowed to follow up the case until justice is served.
These predicaments may be the beginning of the end of the Mombasa governor Abdulswamad Sharif Nassir’s political career. Nassir has received strong criticism and rejection from the political divide including inside the ODM political party where Mombasa Woman Representative Zamzam Mohammed has termed the Governor as a total failure who lacks integrity, accountability and who is unfit to continue holding the County top seat.
“When the Auditor General clearly indicate that Mombasa County is now at number 41 in terms of development since most of the funds have been embezzled or channeled to unclear projects then we know there is a problem and the Governor is simply incompetent,” noted the County Member of the National Assembly.
The same sentiments were shared by former Kisauni Legislature, Ali Mbogo who is now the LAPSSET Authority Board Chairperson.
“In a county that receives a whopping 14 billion shillings annually and lacks proper development record then we should pity ourselves for electing an unable leader. We should send him home when the time comes,” reiterated Mbogo while addressing locals in Magogoni area in Kisauni, Mombasa.
The chronological order of events only paints a grim face, throwing Governor Nassir’s political career in limbo. Mombasa residents are now questioning the roles of his 10 advisors who may have also contributed to the Governor’s political career dent.