Mombasa Gubernatorial race steadily taking shape

The race for the Mombasa gubernatorial seat has attracted five politicians, who have launched early grassroots campaigns, to unseat the incumbent Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir in the August 10, 2027, General Election.

The race is shaping up amidst wider national discussions, zoning strategies, and political cooperation talks between the ruling UDA and opposition ODM parties, ahead of the forthcoming national elections.

The key issues shaping the 2027 elections in Mombasa County revolve around shifting demographics, intense gubernatorial competition, and economic development debates.

Concerns persist that rising taxes on essential commodities and business operations are hindering economic growth within the coastal city.

Key contenders are actively launching early campaigns and promising to address the critical economic and social concerns of local residents.

It’s shaping to be a highly crowded, fiercely competitive field of influential contenders mobilizing to challenge the incumbent governor.

The governorship race in the coastal county is shaping up as a six-horse contest involving the incumbent, businessman Suleiman Shahbal; UDA Secretary-General Hassan Omar; Nyali MP Mohamed Ali; former Nyali MP Hezron Awiti; and former Kisauni MP Ali Mbogo.

Political heavyweights are positioning themselves to challenge the incumbent, each vowing to transform the county’s governance and service delivery.

All the politicians angling to dislodge Nassir are widely known in Mombasa politics and have extensive political backgrounds.

The five serving and former lawmakers are positioning themselves to contest governorship seats in the 2027 General Election, and the development marks a notable pattern in the lead-up to the polls, with elected legislators trading their legislative mandates for a shot at executive power at the county level.

They contend they have what they describe as a roadmap for prosperity, innovation, and inclusive growth aimed at propelling Mombasa to prosperity.

What makes the current cycle distinctive is the high concentration of former and current legislators among Mombasa governorship hopefuls.

The aspirants in their meet-the-peoples forums have been selling their agendas covering infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, education, and community security.

Governor Nassir also served two terms as the MP for the Mvita Constituency from March 2013 to August 2022, succeeding the seat previously held by his late father, Shariff Nassir.

Hassan Omar and Suleiman Shahbal are currently members of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), which gives them added political visibility.

Shahbal, a known figure in Kenya’s banking, financial, and business sector, is a formidable politician in his own right and widely respected in the country and beyond.

He contested against former two-term governor and current CS for Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs Hassan Joho in 2013 and 2017 on the platform of change and lost.

Governor Nassir is also a former two-term MP for the Mvita constituency, where he served in the 2013–2017 period, which formed the 11th Parliament.

Shahbal, who chairs the EALA Communication, Trade and Investment Committee, has built a reputation as a businessman and industrialist with interests across multiple sectors of the economy and is again riding on the back of change.

However, critics argue that his repeated governorship contests in 2013 and 2017 without victory and the fact that he pulled out of the race in the 2022 general polls in favor of the incumbent may create voter fatigue.

They contend that economic hardship and governance concerns could affect voter sentiment in Mombasa.

Shahbal, who holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Illinois USA, says he still harbours his long-standing interest in the Mombasa governorship seat, riding on ‘change must come’.

He demonstrated the seriousness of his ambition when he recently declined a request by President William Ruto, who publicly urged him to drop his 2027 Mombasa gubernatorial bid and instead focus on major business and investments.

Shahbal, however, rejected the appeal to abandon politics and has maintained that he will contest the Mombasa governor’s seat in 2027.

He says Mombasa needs managers who can deliver, fix what is broken, and move the port city forward.

“I have a plan to improve education and establish one-stop community centres in all the 30 administrative wards to nurture talent and keep our youth away from drug and substance abuse,” he said.

The EALA MP also proposes the establishment of a Sh50 million annually for each ward to support youth and women empowerment programmes.

Hassan Omar, a former senator of Mombasa, said the ruling UDA party will contest for governorship in Mombasa in spite of the good working relationship between the UDA and ODM parties.

“Our political slogan in Mombasa is one term for the current governor and two terms for President William Ruto,” he said, adding that the UDA party is emerging as a formidable political force in Mombasa.

The UDA SG reaffirmed UDA’s commitment to nominations that are free, fair, credible, and transparent ahead of the high-stake 2027 general election.

“Under the UDA the national government has reversed policy decisions that had skewed development against certain regions of Kenya since independence,” he said.

Omar says if elected governor, he will work closely with the national government and strive to address the historical marginalisation meted on the people of the coast region.

He says he is driven by the need to ensure that the people of Mombasa and the wider Coast region remain connected to and benefit from the development agenda of the Broad-Based Government.

Omar, who holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from Moi University, says he is now focused on the need to mobilise eligible citizens to register as voters and ensure that those who have not yet acquired their National Identity Cards take the necessary steps to obtain them.

Governor Nassir, as an incumbent, enjoys significant advantages over his challengers and says he is determined to retain power at the general election.

He says his major strength lies in his consistency, resilience, and longstanding relationship with grassroots supporters.

The coastal county boss urged voters to demand concrete plans from candidates before deciding who to support in the 2027 contest.

Nassir says he has established networks across small-scale traders, youths, women, and ODM party loyalists, where he also serves as the Deputy Party Leader.

Governor Nassir says since 2022, his administration has delivered 129,521 secondary-school bursary awards, investing S792.72 million to keep the children of Mombasa in school.

“These are not merely statistics; they represent thousands of young people whose education has been protected and whose dreams remain alive. We promised to leave no child behind, and through the Elimu Scheme, we continue turning that promise into action,” he said.

Ali Mbogo, on his part, says the future of Mombasa requires communities to come together, support one another, and work collectively to advance the interests and well-being of all residents.

Mbogo, who holds a Bachelor of Science (Computer Science) from Egerton University, says his number one priority is to raise 1 billion every year to support the payment of school fees for local students.

“Our children belong in classrooms, not at home because their parents cannot afford school fees,” he said.

Mbogo says he remains focused on building a united movement that puts the people of Mombasa at the center of leadership, development, and progress.

The former Kisauni MP has been holding grassroots engagement, noting that his leadership will be one connected to the people and addressing their concerns.

“By listening to residents, addressing their concerns, and sharing our plans, we will in the long run build a shared vision for a more prosperous, inclusive, and accountable Mombasa,” he said.

Mbogo officially launched his 2027 gubernatorial bid on August 17, 2025, vowing to go all the way to the ballot and avoid the political hurdles he faced in 2022.

Mbogo unsuccessfully vied for the Mombasa gubernatorial seat in the 2022 General Election on a Wiper Party ticket and has stated that the political vehicle for his 2027 governorship bid is ready, but its official identity will be revealed later.

Mohamed Ali, who holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication from Moi University, has been campaigning on a platform of change: ‘Out with the rot, 2027, we are fixing Mombasa’.

The former television journalist has recently ditched the UDA for the Wiper Patriotic Front, where he was subsequently appointed as spokesperson and Deputy Party Leader.

The two-term Nyali MP positions himself as a grassroots-driven leader focused on development and accountability.

By Hussein Abdullahi