Gallant aide who died to save minister

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Photo/GEORGE KIKAMI Above: Fisheries Minister Amason Kingi’s bodyguard Harrison Maitha (left), who was killed in the attack at a meeting in Kilifi County. Below: Mr Maitha (centre) looks on as Roka Ward Councillor Hassan Mohamed blesses Mr Kingi. 

By ANTHONY KITIMO akitimo@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Friday, October 5  2012 at  23:30

IN SUMMARY

• Machete blows aimed at Mr Kingi landed on police officer Maitha as he and others formed a ring around his old friend
• He literally laid down his life for the person he was employed to protect.
  Had not Harrison Maitha, an Administration Police constable guarding Fisheries Minister Amason Kingi, not stepped up in time, the Coast politician may not have survived a vicious attack by a machete-wielding gang.
  As it were, the machete blows intended for the minister landed on Mr Maitha, inflicting injuries from which he would die, as the minister escaped unhurt.
  Mr Maitha was cut several times on the head and the limbs as he and others formed a ring around the besieged minister at a meeting with youths at Mtomondoni, Mtwapa, on Thursday afternoon, according to a witness.
  Cut him on the head
  Mr Maitha died at Jocham Hospital, Mombasa, while being treated.
  Kilifi Senate seat aspirant Stewart Madzayo, a former judge of the Industrial Court who sat next to the minister, bled profusely from a cut on the back of the head.
  “When he saw the attackers heading for the minister, the bodyguard rushed over to block them. But the attackers already had their pangas out and they cut him on the head,” a person who attended the ill-fated youth meeting told the Saturday Nation at the scene on Thursday.
  “He then reached for his gun from the belt, but one of the gang members struck him on the hand, severing his thumb and he dropped the pistol.”
  Well-wishers spirited the minister to safety.
  Still shell-shocked by the brazen attack, Mr Kingi was on Friday mourning his aide, whom he described as a hero, brother, childhood chum, dedicated and polite police officer who had been by his side for more than two years.
  Classmate in primary school
  “I have known Mr Maitha for many years,” Mr Kingi said. “It is not the job that brought us together; he was my classmate at Kamale Primary School in Magarini many years ago.
  “He was like a brother to me. We played childhood games in primary school and, even though we went our separate ways at secondary school, we kept in touch. I recently asked him to be my bodyguard.”
  The minister spoke after meeting the bereaved family, who were in mourning. He said the police have asked for the post-mortem examination to be carried out on Monday.
  Mr Maitha is survived by a wife and three children aged 17, 14 and nine.
  In the absence of his dedicated aide, Mr Kingi expressed fear for his life as he appeared to have been the target of the attack.
  “The group was targeting me. I do not know what will happen to me next. I am living in fear, that is why I am calling for deployment of more police officers in Coast Province to help fight the emerging groups.”

  Coast Provincial Police Officer Aggrey Adoli said Mr Maitha was assigned to guard the minister by police headquarters in Nairobi.