MP Ali, Muslim clerics clash over Ziwa la Ng’ombe school

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Nyali MP Mohammed Ali is at loggerheads with a section of Muslim leaders in Mombasa once again.

This time it is over remarks he made in a video that has since gone viral on social media.

In the video, he castigates his political opponent Said 'Saido' Abdalla, accusing him of fanning insecurity in Mombasa and in neighbouring counties.

He also invoked the name of a top security official at the Coast, saying he protects Saido.

“Once again we are being fought politically and have been blocked from constructing Ziwa la Ng’ombe secondary,” Ali says in the video.

He said the Nyali NG-CDF had set aside Sh41 million for construction of the secondary school, refurbishment of Frere Town playground and  drilling a borehole in Frere Town primary school.

The money was also to fund the construction of Ziwa la Ng’ombe assistant county commissioner’s and the chief’s office and the Kandzandani Social Hall.

“All these political fights are being propagated under Coast regional coordinator John Elungata’s watch,” Ali said in the video.

Elungata said he will not allow himself to be dragged into political sideshows.

Saido dismissed Ali’s assertions as nonsense.

“He wants to be an activist. There is nothing that he speaks that has any evidence. Let him produce evidence of whatever he says,” Saido said.

The politician is also eying the Nyali MP seat.

He said Ali is fond of bulldozing his way and does not like to follow proper channels in whatever he does or wants to do.

“We cannot stop him from constructing any school. How can we?” Saido said.

On the Frere Town playground, Saido said the ground is under the care of the county government and any development must be approved by the county and the Frere Town community first.

“He did not. On the contrary, we obtained consent from the Frere Town community to improve the ground’s standards. We also got approval from the county,” Saido said.

Kenya Muslims National Advisory Council on Tuesday said Ali is using activism, lies and propaganda to fight his political battles.

“Politics and activism do not go hand in hand. It is wrong for a Muslim to disturb the peace of any place like Ali is doing,” Kemnac chair Sheikh Juma Ngao said.

Sheikh Ngao defended Elungata saying he is a decent administrator whose work at the Coast has been immense.

“Security has generally improved and there has been relative peace in the region,” Sheikh Ngao said.

He said the administrator in fact had tried to intervene to ensure that Ziwa la Ng’ombe school is constructed by the NG-CDF.

“However, he was informed by the county government that the plot 169 that the school was to be constructed on was in fact a county government property and approvals had to be sought first,” the cleric said.

In September last year, Kemnac officials and Ali were at loggerheads over construction of a mosque in Kadzandani.

Ali had said the construction of the mosque was a ploy by powerful individuals in the county government to grab the land, eliciting criticism from the Muslim clerics.

(Edited by Bilha Makokha)