Nyali MP Mohammed Ali has laughed off leaders attacking him saying they fear him.
“You know why? Because they are afraid of my development record. They know Ali is a working leader who has done more with little than they have with more,” Ali said on Saturday.
Their fear is premature, he added, because while he has not declared interest in the governor position, some leaders are already trying to take him down.
“What I want from the people is only their prayers so I can get more energy to work for them.”
There is increased speculation that the MP is eying the governor seat in 2027, possibly setting the ground for a grand race between him and UDA secretary general Hassan Omar for the party’s ticket.
Ali won the MP seat in 2017 and retained it in 2022, bagging more votes than in his first term.
He told off leaders for "lamenting on social media", saying they should go to the grassroots and initiate development projects "where the real people are".
“If you work for the people, they will make you their choice,” he said.
The secret to his popularity is his track record in development initiatives.
“If you are given a mandate by the people, make sure you are accountable to them,” Ali said.
“Not walking around town, eating fast foods on the roadside and telling people how you were raised. We have also been raised well. If it is about food, you are supposed to eat last after ensuring all your people are well fed.”
The MP spoke while at Kongowea Secondary School, where he issued Sh3.3 million in grants to 50 women and youth groups.
His detractors include sponsored bloggers who are trying to discredit him over his race and tribe.
Often thought of as a "political lone ranger", Ali said this kind of talk has alienated him from the other political leaders in Mombasa.
“They are now afraid. They say Mohammed Ali is not a native. That he was not born in Mombasa. You who was born in Mombasa, what have you done for Mombasa and its people?” he posed.
The MP said he follows the constitution, which allows any Kenyan to vie for any elective seat in any part of the country.
“A Luo, Kamba, Maasai, or Kikuyu can be a leader in Mombasa. Nobody chose to be born in any particular community. Only God decides that,” Ali said.
“If a Luo, Kisii, Luhya wants to be governor, let them be given a chance. And even this ‘chuma cha reli’ if he wants let him be given a chance.”
The slender-bodied MP refers to himself as 'chuma cha reli' (railway), saying while small, it carries the full weight of the train.
Ali said all institutions receive development budgets, which should benefit the people through tangible projects.
“I get only Sh130 million a year but I do more with that than people who get billions a year,” he said.
The MP has had a full schedule.
On Friday, he was at Kadzandani ward to lay the foundation for the construction of Mwembeni Primary and Secondary schools.
An acre of land for the project had been grabbed.
He also launched police stations at Khadija and Ziwa la Ng’ombe to improve security.
Three weeks ago, Nyali had a TVET institution opened on a five-acre piece of land, making it the first constituency in Mombasa to have the facility.
“Bring all the youth who are idle and disturbing people at night so they can get technical skills in plumbing, electricals, mechanics and the like - free of charge. These skills do not need a lot of English. I will pay for their education,” Ali said.
These skills will keep the youth off illicit brew and muguka, he said.
The MP underscored his commitment to enhancing transportation, which is key in economic development.
“I have constructed many cabro roads in Nyali and now I see some people coming to open my roads without informing me. Why don’t they open the roads which they built? Or they have not built any road?”
