Governor Nassir Rushes To His Radio Station After Raid By KRA Officers

Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir was on Wednesday, May 29 prompted to rush to the offices of his radio station, Radio Rahma after officers from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) stormed the premises.

According to reports, the officers had sought to auction equipment at the Mombasa-based radio station over tax arrears of an amount yet to be disclosed by the time of publishing this article.

However, Nassir, who spoke to reporters on the scene, claimed that the raid was motivated by a political witch hunt, possibly linked to his stance on the muguka ban.

Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir speaking to the media on May 29, 2024. /X

"You came here, you are coming in, everyone that I have talked to, everyone is saying they were not aware...if you have been sent to harass us...we are going to take this matter even further.

"If muguka is what is making you see that we will be threatened so that our people can continue using this poison, we will continue. I'm pleading that if you don't have any other business, the door is that way," he directed the KRA officers.

The officers on the scene however argued that they were not intent on threatening staff at the radio station and planning to cart away the equipment, despite Nassir's persistent attempts to get the officers to leave the premises.

Outside, Nassir vowed that his administration would not be swayed by threats and intimidation following his decision to impose a ban on the sale of Muguka in Mombasa.

"Intimidation will not work. You can take away everything, strip everything but you will never ever strip our dignity from us," he added.

Radio Rahma is an Islamic radio station based in Mombasa that broadcasts to Coast residents.

Earlier, the county boss said soon he would make other far-reaching decisions that would shake the country, revealing that he had written to the Ministries of Interior and Health to have the Muguka farmers come up with alternative crops for farming.

"If you feel it is a super plant consume it with your children but spare us the agony of seeing our children being exposed to these," the governor told Spice FM.

On Wednesday, an altercation ensued between muguka traders and county inspectorate officers in the Bonje area of Mombasa County as the latter tried to stop the former from entering the port city.

The traders who had stayed away from Mombasa since the governor issued an executive order banning the stimulant last Thursday, arrived at Bonje in the morning with trucks full of the product.

On Tuesday, May 28, the High Court in Embu temporarily suspended the ban on muguka in the counties of Mombasa, Kilifi and Taita Taveta pending the hearing of a case filed before it on June 8, 2024.

The case had pitted the three counties against the Kutherema Muguka Sacco Society Limited and the county assembly of Embu.