When Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir took office in 2022, he promised sweeping reforms, free medical services, reduced school fees, and a safety net for struggling families.
Barely a year to the next General Eelection in 2027, the governor is finding that translating his vision into reality has proved more difficult than anticipated.
At a parents’ meeting in Changamwe this week, Mr Nassir came face-to-face with frustrations over unfulfilled pledges. Parents told him that despite county feeding programmes and bursaries, day secondary schools are still charging up to Sh12,000 annually.
“We have always been lamenting about school fees. Why are our children being charged yet we have bursary? Principals have been sending home our learners everyday yet the governor says he had paid schools fees. So, who is fooling who? The governor is not aware of what is happening it is good he has come face to face with reality,” said Ms Elizabeth Wasai, a parent in Changamwe.
Governor Nassir admitted he was shocked to learn that families continue to shoulder heavy costs despite agreements with the Ministry of Education to cut fees.
“We entered into this arrangement in good faith. I don’t know why parents are still paying Sh12,000 fees. This is sabotage,” he said, vowing to confront institutions flouting the deal.
The governor had a bold flagship plan to provide free lunch for all Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) and secondary school learners.
In secondary schools, the free lunch plan was meant to slash day school fees from Sh12,000 to around Sh1,500. It came with an additional Sh5,000 bursary for every secondary school student.
But parents say the Sh1,500 figure exists only on paper. Schools continue to demand full fees, citing costs of Board of Management teachers.
The governor’s frustrations extend beyond education. Earlier on, a similar problem was witnessed in the county’s ambitious plans to provide free or more affordable healthcare services to residents.
After onboarding more than 600,000 residents into the Social Health Authority (SHA), Mombasa became the leading county in health coverage. Mr Nassir was even hailed by President William Ruto in his achievement.
By then he had also directed free treatment for children under five years old whose parents are Mombasa residents, in public hospitals. The county government was later faced with outcry from the public over payments demanded in the hospitals and poor services.
Mr Nassir accused hospital administrators of failing to honour the directives, forcing patients to pay for tests and drugs outside public facilities.
“It is very unfair. We have set aside funds to pay SHA registration for our patients but they are still being directed elsewhere. This is ethically and morally wrong,” he said.
The governor now finds himself battling what he calls “saboteurs” within the system. He warned of sackings and restructuring in both education and health dockets.
“Wasn’t I elected by residents? Are the funds not for the people? I will fight for them. Those sabotaging these programmes will face the music,” Mr Nassir declared.
He revealed that the bursary and fee-reduction agreement was signed jointly with President Ruto, Attorney General Dorcas Oduor, and Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba.
But for parents, the governor’s promises remain elusive. Learners in Grade 10, Form 3 and Form 4 are still paying Sh12,000, despite county interventions.
Mr Nassir plans to tour all sub-counties throughout this week to meet parents and visit schools to ensure his directives are implemented.
Beyond healthcare and education, the governor’s plan to find a lasting solution to the garbage problem that has lasted in the port city for decades also hit the headwinds. Nyali MP Mohamed Ali, moved to the High Court to cancel the award of a Sh17 billion waste-to-energy contract to the Ghana-based Jospong Group of Companies.
In addition, the MP who is eying the gubernatorial seat in 2027 has joined residents protesting an extra Sh500 monthly levy labelled "solid waste bill" in their water bills since December last year.
Of major concern is that many households in Mombasa do not have active accounts with the Mombasa Water Supply and Sanitation Company (Mowassco), leaving questions as to how the levies would be equally shouldered by all households without bias.
Residents also raised issues about why they should pay for the service, while they rely on private garbage collection companies that pay levies to the county government.
In the Sh17 billion waste-to-energy project, the Nyali MP argues that the deal was procured secretly, without public participation, competitive tendering, or mandatory environmental and financial safeguards. Mr Ali has sued the County Government of Mombasa, the County Secretary, and the County Executive Committee Member for Environment, Climate Change and Solid Waste Management.
He recently dismissed the governor’s allegations of political witch-hunt, insisting that the county administration has continuously failed to deliver to its residents. Mr Ali added that the leadership must be held to account, adding that nobody would be complaining if public services were working as they should.
