• He fell out with Joho after losing ODM nomination he says was rigged.
• Ali says Joho has nothing to show for his 15 years in politics in Mombasa.
Image: JOHN CHESOLI
Nyali MP Mohammed Ali has defended his association with Deputy President William Ruto, saying no one will pick friends or enemies for him.
He said he has worked with both Ruto and Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and has seen more benefits from the DP than the governor.
“Some say I have messed up by walking with Ruto. If I walk with Ruto and my people get a school bus, a school, better education, who else do you want me to walk with?” said Ali.
He spoke on Saturday at Maweni Mixed Secondary School when he presented the school with a bus courtesy of the Nyali NG-CDF.
“You cannot choose my friend or enemy for me. Your friend or enemy is not my friend or enemy. I have walked with Joho and I have not got even a pen,” said Ali.
He was referring to the formative period of his entry into politics when he used to be in Joho’s camp in ODM.
He however felt short-changed after the nominations in Mombasa where he claimed he was rigged out.
“During nomination they kicked me out so they could give the ticket to his kin,” said the first-time legislator.
He said Joho has nothing to show for his leadership in Mombasa after being Kisauni MP and the governor for 15 cumulative years.
“Name for me one major project that he has done for the people of Mombasa county. I can tell you what Kivutha Kibwana is doing, what Alfred Mutua is doing, what Sonko is doing.
“But come back home to Mombasa county and I will tell you what he has done for us. Yes, he has brought Ali Kiba to Maweni. He is a good dancer. He is a showbiz governor,” Ali said.
The county communications office declined to respond to Ali's claims.
However, Joho’s trusted lieutenant nominated MCA Mohammed Hatimy said Ali only talks ill of Joho when he has nothing else to say.
“What Joho has done is there for all to see. He has moved from level to level going up because of his work,” said Hatimy, who is the ODM Mombasa county chair.
“I advise that young man that Joho has been MP, assistant minister and governor for two terms. For you to be assistant minister your track record has to be considered,” Hatimy said.
He said Ali should not waste people’s time with ‘useless’ words to look for publicity.
“He must mention Joho so that people listen to him,” the MCA said, dismissing Ali as practising old-fashioned politics.
Nominated MCA Fatma Kushe, a staunch supporter of Joho, said Ali has not done even half of what Joho did when he was Kisauni MP.
“He should style up. If he cannot dress up like Joho he should come for lessons instead of talking about Joho’s fashion sense,” said Kushe.
Ali however said it was time to fight political conmanship in Nyali and populist politics in Mombasa.
He said he will not bring artists from outside the country like Chris Brown, Diamond or Ali Kiba to perform in Mombasa and pay them millions of shillings but will help local artists make those millions.
He said he will ensure priorities are right in Nyali and Mombasa.
“I come here and see somebody built for you a swimming pool. Instead of building a school, you are building a swimming pool. What bhang is this that people are smoking?” posed Ali.
The swimming pool at Maweni Mixed Secondary School was built by Joho through his Hassan Joho Foundation.
“We cannot have a swimming pool in a school where the population is very high and where we don’t have extensions. You build a swimming pool instead of building more classrooms?”
He said he was surprised some MPs who say they want to be governor yet they had not built even a toilet in their areas.
“It is very sad that we are thinking of bigger positions yet we have not done anything meaningful to bring change to residents in the positions you have been given,” Ali said.
Kisauni MP Ali Mbogo has set his eyes on Joho’s seat once the governor exits in 2022.
He has even renewed his political camaraderie with Joho in a bid to get his blessings for the seat after a period tension between them.
Mbogo’s protocol and communication director Richard Mwasingo said the MP has reduced crime in the constituency by investing in education.
Mwasingo said they have built at least 20 classrooms at Concordia secondary, Marimani secondary, Baraka Voroni primary, Majaoni primary and Kiembeni estate primary schools.
“We will in the next two weeks start constructing Kajiweni Primary School in Junda and Mwembe Legeza primary and secondary schools in Shanzu,” Mwasingo said on Sunday.
“We know who is behind the misinformation that the Nyali MP has,” Mwasingo said.
He said Mbogo’s efforts have resulted in the approval to build Karisa Maitha national secondary school in Mwakirunge.
Ali said he has ambitions of becoming president of the country but will go step by step.
He said he will be seeking re-election in 2022 to complete the projects he has started.
The former journalist said his intention is to ensure he delivers at least 60 per cent of what he pledged to Nyali residents during campaigns.
His efforts were derailed for a whole year because of the election petition against his win by his political rival Said ‘Saido’ Abdalla.
“Many people come from Kisauni looking for bursaries in Nyali. They are looking for help from this side. It is because we elected party, tribe, biryani and showbiz,” said Ali in a thinly veiled swipe at Mbogo and Joho.