Jubilee Politician Suleiman Shahbal Vows to Push for Joho’s Prosecution Over Secession Talks

Mombasa Jubilee politician Suleiman Shahbal says he will push for private prosecution against Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho and his Kilifi counterpart Amason Kingi over their recent talks on secession the coast region.

Shahbal, who lost to Joho in the race for Mombasa governor in August 8th election claimed the separation talk was part of the wider scheme by opposition National Super Alliance to capture power using the back door.

“For the record, if this nonsense persists, please be forewarned that I will file a private prosecution case of treason against these irresponsible politicians. Do not divide Kenya,” Shahbal stated.

“This is political sycophancy answering the call from Raila who is now desperately clutching at straws for political relevance,” he added.

In a press briefing at his office in Mombasa on Friday, Joho,Kingi and 20 other politicians allied to the opposition vowed to lobby for support both locally and internationally in their quest to delink the coast from the rest of the country.

“It is no longer feasible for us as a people to continue in a country that doesn’t recognize our aspirations as legitimate,” the leaders stated.

However, in a rejoinder to their calls, former secessionist group; Mombasa Republican Council (MRC) said the leaders are being driven by their selfish interests.

“If at all they were honest people, they should have come out and joined us when MRC started. These are the same people who fought us and told us that we wanted to stir chaos in the region,” MRC Spokesman Rashid Mraja said.

He wondered: “Why did they have to wait until it is politically convenient for them?”

“Coastal people will not accept to secede as far as the political destiny of this nation is concerned. We, if need be, shall follow legal means and we want to challenge the political leaders seeking that path to go to court and battle it out in courtrooms,” said Mraja.