By Anderson Ojwang
The battle for the Mombasa gubernatorial race is turning out to be a headache and a nightmare for President William Ruto as he tries to align his troops to face off against the opposition in the 2027 General Election.
The move by President Ruto to prevail on gubernatorial aspirant Suleman Shabbal not to run did not materialise after the latter declined and vowed to contest for the gubernatorial seat.
**“You remember I told you I told Shabbal, and you will excuse me to say this. I told you that I know you want to run for governor in Mombasa and I told you I am against it.
I say this with tremendous respect to my brother Shabbal, honestly, and I told him, my friend, please, you know we need you in a different space,”** Ruto said.
But Shabbal, in his response in a social media post, said nothing will stop him from contesting for the Mombasa gubernatorial seat.
“President William Ruto is our president and respect him. He is my friend, but Your Excellency, for your advice I kindly request that you forgive me. Let’s meet at the ballot on 10th August 2027,” he said.
President Ruto said Shabbal was better off in a different space and not politics owing to his success as an entrepreneur.
“Forgive me, my brother Shabbal, you are a great entrepreneur and it is not easy to come across people like you who have the acumen, capacity, courage and connection to do the kind of investments going on in this country,” he said.
He said not all successful people can be politicians and urged Shabbal to reconsider his stand.
**“We have so many people who can be politicians and I am one of them and it is not that politicians are lesser human beings.
I am saying, in our country, there is this thing that every successful person thinks there is something in politics,”** he said.
Ruto said the country cannot be grown by politicians alone and that there was need for many more people, serious industrialists, investors, Kenyans who can grow this country.
“You can make a huge contribution to Kenya. Look at what you are doing with this. It will get 10,000 people working. It is better than you going to be disturbed by the MCAs, face demos and humiliations,” he said.
But Shabbal maintained that Mombasa was calling and the welfare of the people was paramount.
**“I look at the welfare of Mombasa, which is more important. Let me tell you in no uncertain terms, in 2027, whether they like it or not, no retreat and about-turn.
What previously occurred to be denied a ticket to MCA because they support Shabbal. You can stay with your tickets, I am still in the race. Whether they like it or not, I am in the race,”** he said.
He said only two things will keep him out of the race, which are God and the people of Mombasa.
“Unless two things happen, one, God gives his verdict or the people of Mombasa say no, but Shabbal is in the race until the end. Change must come. Mombasa is calling and it is not calling Shabbal alone but calling all of us to unite and change Mombasa,” he said.
Dynamics
The Mombasa gubernatorial race has been dominated by the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), and the death of former party leader Raila Odinga has left the contest open.
The recent fallout in the party has also undermined the party’s grip in the region as the electorate are moving towards the Linda Mwananchi group, the rebel wing in the party.
Shabbal is one of the candidates to beat in the race, having contested for the seat in 2013 and 2017, while in 2022 he stepped down.
In 2013, he lost to the ODM’s Hassan Joho, garnering 94,905 against the victor’s 132,583 votes.
In 2017, Shabbal lost again, getting 69,515 votes against Joho’s 221,177 votes.
Election Results Summary 2017
Winner: Joho Hassan Ali (ODM) — 221,177 votes (64.89%)
Runner-up: Shahbal Suleiman Said Saleh (Jubilee Party / JP) — 69,515 votes (20.39%)
Third place: Hassan Omar Hassan (Wiper Democratic Movement – Kenya / WDM-K) — 12.85% (approx. 43,800+ votes)
2022 results
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) gubernatorial candidate Abdulswamad Nassir won the Mombasa gubernatorial election after garnering 119,083 votes.
He was followed closely by his main competitor, Hassan Omar of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), who garnered 98,108 votes.
The problem
The broad-based coalition has two aspirants, UDA Secretary-General Omar Hassan and the incumbent Nassir of ODM.
Nyali MP Ali Mohammed has also expressed interest in the seat and, with Shabbal’s declaration, the battle for the race will be interesting.
Already, Omar has declared that there will be no zoning and is ready to face off with Nassir, while the ODM team wants their stronghold zoned to avoid internal competition.
