Mombasa County Governor Hassan Joho is attending a United Nations Strong Cities summit in the United States to discuss solutions to rising violent extremism in the coast region.
Joho, who arrived in the US on February 17, has been seen strolling in Washington and receiving VIP treatment, according to photos and reports.
Context and Background ¶
The governor's trip comes amidst allegations of drug trafficking against him and a renewed fight against drug barons in Kenya. Joho was among six Kenyans named in a dossier by former US Ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger implicating them in drug trafficking.
Others named included Governor William Kabogo, Senator Mike Sonko, MP Mary Wambui, and former politician Harun Mwau. However, they were cleared after investigations failed to implicate them.
Response and Consequences ¶
The government has had run-ins with the governor, including withdrawing his security detail and accusing him of being behind drug trafficking in the coastal region. Recently, the Akasha brothers were extradited to the US to face charges related to drug trafficking.
According to Richard Chacha, Mombasa County Head of Communications, the governor's delegation is supporting his role in the Strong Cities Network (SCN), which aims to shape the balance of power and its impact on cities facing conflict based on extreme ideologies.
The recovered account cited reporting by The Standard,Tuko,Nation.
