The political rivalry between former Lamu governor Issa Timamy and incumbent Fahim Twaha got personal after the latter was attacked by police and barred from addressing supporters in Mpeketoni on Saturday.
Police fired teargas at Timamy and his supporters, who had gathered at the Mpeketoni new stage.
Transport and business were halted for more than three hours as police dispersed and engaged the crowd, which had gathered to welcome the former governor for a rally.Timamy has been on a week-long meet-and-greet tour with his supporters across Lamu county.
He says the purpose is to thank them for “their immense support during a legal battle” whose ruling upheld Twaha’s election upheld by the Supreme Court.
So far Timamy had been to Lamu town, Ndau village, Witu, Katsaka Kairu and Maisha Masha.
Things, however didn’t go as planned as police turned the Mpeketoni meeting into an ugly affair that saw business looted as owners ran for their lives.
This is Timamy’s first public appearance in the region ever since he lost the election to Twaha.
Police sources told the Star that Timamy had been warned against holding the meeting and some even ‘warned’ him that things were likely to go awry. e insisted on going to Mpeketoni.
Polive erected roadblocks on the Lamu-Mpeketoni road were more than doubled. Every vehicle was stopped as police searched for Timamy and his close allies.
