Weeks after signing a deal to set up a Special Economic Zone in Mombasa with global logistics company DP World at State House in Nairobi, businessman Suleiman Shahbal is struggling to separate the agreement from his political ambitions.
United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party Secretary General Omar Hassan is among the latest leaders to ask the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) MP to quit politics and focus on business.
President William Ruto had initially advised Mr Shahbal to leave politics, but the businessman declined.
'Stick to entrepreneurship,' Ruto tells Mombasa gubernatorial hopeful Suleiman Shahbal
Mr Omar, who is also aiming to unseat Governor Abdulswamad Nassir, said there is a risk of creating a conflict of interest if Mr Shahbal becomes Mombasa governor while remaining a major player in the county’s business sector.
“If you are a businessman, stick to business and let administrators provide the frameworks and systems for government because you are conflicted,” Mr Omar said.
“You do not know whether to construct houses or develop the SEZ or give Kenyans that opportunity. I am coming to facilitate Kenyans to work. I am not coming to capture the State; I am coming to provide a framework for people to work within the State,” he added.
Mr Omar presented his experience as a human rights activist, former Mombasa Senator and current UDA Secretary General as part of his credentials for the race.
Mr Omar said his political ambition is driven by what he described as the need to improve governance and restore what he termed respect, dignity and constitutionalism in Mombasa.
The Sh12 billion agreement between his GulfCap Group and DP World aims to develop a 535-acre Special Economic Zone in Jomvu. The land is owned by the County Government of Mombasa and was previously leased to the Kenya Meat Commission.
Apart from the SEZ project, GulfCap is also involved in developing an affordable housing project in collaboration with the county government at Buxton.
The Sh6 billion development started during the previous county administration under former governor Hassan Joho, now Mining and Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary after demolishing old county houses.
Jomvu MP Badi Twalib also criticised Mr Shahbal for opposing Governor Nassir in the 2027 elections, despite the county government supporting his plan to develop the SEZ.
“Those who own the SEZ have started fighting the governor even before the project has begun. But today we are telling them that the governor will set politics aside. This is now the time for development. The person you are fighting is the same person who will extend a hand to support the project so that development can come and people can get jobs,” he said.
During signing of the SEZ deal on September 8, President Ruto said Kenya needed serious industrialists, investors and entrepreneurs capable of undertaking projects that would contribute to economic growth.
Mr Shahbal, however, rejected the appeal to abandon politics and has maintained that he will contest the Mombasa governor’s seat in 2027.
Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir (right) with EALA MP Suleiman Shahbal during a past event in Kisumu County.
He has argued that voters, rather than political leaders, should determine who contests and ultimately governs the county. Asked whether he had received emissaries seeking to persuade him to abandon his bid following the State House meeting, Mr Shahbal said he could not discuss the matter publicly at the moment.
Recently, the EALA MP said he was concerned that the gubernatorial politics could interfere with his project and urged his political opponents to set aside their differences to ensure the project succeeds.
He further claimed that politicians who want a soft landing through zoning within the anticipated ODM-UDA pre-election pact are behind the push to have him out of the gubernatorial race.
Mr Shahbal, who announced that he will not seek the ODM ticket to vie in 2027, cautioned President Ruto against such political arrangements. He argued that having several candidates would benefit the President because each would campaign and mobilise voters, while imposing a single candidate could reduce voter mobilisation.
“This whole nonsense of zoning is designed by people who are scared of going to the grassroots to meet people. They want a safety net; they want to be given a safe passage. If you are confident in your leadership, go to the people and tell them what you have done and they will elect you. Why are you so desperate to block other people?” he said.
“This is the same mistake we made in Nyanza, that the minute someone is given an ODM certificate, he loses interest, he goes home and sleeps; he has already won. That is how Mr Odinga lost votes in Nyanza,” he added.
Mr Omar has also rejected political deals or zoning arrangements in the gubernatorial race. He says the decision on who should govern Mombasa should be left to voters.
The contest in Mombasa has also attracted Nyali MP Mohammed and former Kisauni MP Ali Mbogo. The two are allied to Wiper and Jubilee parties respectively, both of which are in the United Opposition.
Mr Shahbal, who contested the Mombasa governorship in 2013 and 2017 and says he was compelled to step aside for Mr Nassir in the 2022 election, was emphatic that he would not withdraw from the 2027 race.
During his recent engagements, Mr Shahbal criticised the county government over what he described as failures in addressing education challenges, saying poverty had left thousands of students unable to pursue higher education.
He said that, if elected, his administration would prioritise education and seek to ensure learners in public secondary schools have equal opportunities to pursue higher education and improve their prospects. A section of Members of the County Assembly has endorsed his candidature and pledged to mobilise support for his bid.
Governor Nassir has maintained that his development record especially in the health and education sectors places him ahead of his rivals. Speaking in Changamwe last week, the governor expressed confidence that voters will elect him for a second term on the basis of his performance.
