Tana River Governor Godhana Dhado Gaddae and Galole MP Hiribae Said Buya have been arrested by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in relation to ongoing inter-clan clashes in the region. DCI Director Amin Mohamed confirmed the arrests, stating that the two leaders were taken into custody after failing to respond to summonses regarding the violence in Tana River.
“It is true we have arrested the Tana River Governor and Galole MP Hiribae. They were summoned to our offices over the clashes but did not honor the summons,” Mohamed explained. “We aim to prosecute those found responsible for the situation in Tana River once our investigation is complete.”
Reports suggest that Governor Gaddae presented himself at the DCI headquarters on Saturday, while MP Buya was arrested at his Nyali home early Saturday morning, around 2 a.m., and subsequently held at Makupa Police Station. Buya is currently being questioned at the DCI offices on Kiambu Road.
Their arrests occurred just hours after five politicians from Tana River County were summoned to appear before the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) on Monday. They are being questioned over allegations of inciting violence between two communities, which has resulted in the deaths of 14 people within a week.
The NCIC summonses were issued following a recent incident in which six people were killed on Thursday, only days after eight others had lost their lives. The five politicians summoned include Tana River County Woman Representative Amina Dika Abdullahi, former Woman Representative Rehema Hassan, Bura MP Yakub Adow Kuno, Galole MP Hiribae Said Buya, and Bangale Ward Representative Jibril Mahamud Farah.
