Honour devolution, Raila tells Jubilee administration

Former PM Raila Odinga addresses journalists at Moi International Airport, Mombasa Wednesday, with him is Mombasa County Governor Ali Hassan Joho. [Photo: Omondi Onyango/Standard]

By Stanley Mwahanga

Mombasa, Kenya:  Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga arrived in Mombasa last evening with a message to the Uhuru regime to implement devolution.

But Raila’s entourage was not without incident after airport officials refused to allow vehicles into the airport to receive the former premier.

There was a 30-minute stand-off between airport security and a convoy of cars that had been brought by Mombasa Governor Hassan Ali Hassan Joho to receive the former PM and Langata MP.

Airport security had refused the convoy to enter the airport, with officials alleging they were not aware of his visit.

But the convoy was later allowed into the airport. Joho condemned the incident and said as governor he has a “right to welcome all visitors to Mombasa”.

Earlier, there were conflicting reports whether Raila had been allowed to visit VIP facilities at the airport.

He later emerged from the airport, addressed the Press and was driven away.

Raila said county governments must not be hamstrung by vestiges of the Provincial Administration like County Commissioners.

“We want to see counties working well with the central government,” Raila said.

There must be no tussle between governors and the County Commissioners, adding that the central government should support the Devolution of elected administrations in the counties.

Uhuru tour

Speaking to supporters and local ODM leaders including Joho and at the airport, Raila said he was in Coast “to encourage CORD leaders to ensure the pledges they made to the people are met”.

He said he would soon embark on a tour of all the 24 counties in which CORD won the gubernatorial polls.

Mr Joho accused the Provincial Administration of undermining him and said local elected leaders had been sidelined from preparations for President Uhuru Kenyatta’s visit to Mombasa.

Joho said he and local leaders had only learnt about the visit from Mombasa County Commissioner Nelson Marwa.