United Democratic Alliance (UDA) chairman Johnson Muthama and the party’s secretary-general Veronica Maina on Thursday morning evaded arrest after police disrupted the party’s meeting in Nyali, Mombasa County.
Johnson Muthama, UDA officials flee as police disrupt Nyali meeting
Police stopped the meeting at Terrace Villa Resort in Nyali where about 100 party representatives from six Coastal counties had converged for a strategy meeting for aspirants.
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The representatives and other national leaders had to flee to evade arrest. The police described the meeting as an illegal assembly where Covid-19 containment measures were not observed.
Police Officers patrol outside the Terrace Villa Resort where Members of the United Democratic Alliance Party met on June 3, 2021.
Photo credit: Kevin Odit | Nation Media Group.
Before the meeting, entry into the venue was strictly controlled to ensure that only invited members were let in.
An invitation seen by the Nation read: “Dear UDA Aspirant, this is to inform you that the scheduled meeting on Thursday 3rd June 2021 for Coastal region will take place at Terrace Villa Resort, Neem Avenue, off Greenwood Drive-Nyali, Mombasa County. Registration starts at 7am. Only those who have fully paid will be admitted.”
Mr Ali Mazurui, who is eyeing the Jomvu Ward UDA ticket in 2022, accused the police of interrupting their meeting which was meant to discuss a number of strategies to solidify party’s popularity at the Coast region.
“We had complied with all protocols set by Ministry of Health to avert the spread of Covid-19, we had informed the police but just before the first session was over, police forced themselves into the villa and ordered all of us to leave,” said Mr Mazurui
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Ms Esther Chepng’etich, who is eyeing the Mombasa Woman Representative seat in 2022, said the meeting was meant to train aspirants on a number of political issues.
Police later sealed off entrances of the villa and dispersed any gathering around Nyali to avoid any protest which was being planned by members.
Ms Maina and Mr Muthama, who later called a press conference at 12.45pm, cancelled it after they learnt that the police were pursuing them for illegally holding the meeting against President Uhuru Kenyatta’s order to suspend all political rallies.
