Nyali MP Mohammed Ali / BRIAN OTIENO
Mombasa governor and ODM deputy party leader
Abdulswamad Nassir / BRIAN OTIENONyali MP Mohammed Ali has hit
out at his rivals saying they are applying every dirty trick in the game to
scuttle his governorship bid.
Ali trashed reports
indicating he has struck a deal with Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir to let
him go for his second term with his support.
“A rumour has surfaced claiming that I have
come into an agreement with Mombasa’s Governor Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir to support his second term in office that's not true as the only conversation I
will hold with him is how he needs to pack up and go home,” Ali posted in his
socials on Saturday.
This is the second time such reports are showing
up on social media.
The first time was two weeks ago, with a
statement supposedly from the MP stating that he has come to an understanding
and working relation with Nassir to drop his own ambition and support the
governor for re-election in 2027.
Ali said such reports are caused by panic from
people who know their time is up and have no chance of re-election because of
their poor track record.
Nassir, who is the ODM deputy party leader,
has lately been working to galvanize the Orange party in Mombasa, after the
death of party leader Raila Odinga on October 15.
He said nothing will distract him from uniting
the party and delivering on the pledges he made to the electorate when he
called on their support during the campaign period.
Nassir has set his eyes on waste management as
a key project that will define his legacy in Mombasa.
The county has signed a Sh17
billion deal with Ghana’s Jospong Group of Companies to manage solid waste in
Mombasa for the next 35 years.
On Friday, he highlighted the youth-led waste
management pilot program saying already the transformation is visible across the
county.
“So far, 43 Community-Based
Organizations employing over 500 young people are actively keeping Mombasa
clean under this 90-day pilot phase. Some 46 Tuktuks have been deployed for
household waste collection, and four compactor trucks are set to join soon to
streamline disposal at our dumpsites.
“This is more than just waste collection. It is
job creation, dignity, and environmental stewardship in action. In the next phase,
we will scale up to 200 Tuktuks and 11 compactors, covering every corner of
Mombasa with ease and efficiency.
“A cleaner Mombasa is a shared responsibility and
together, we are getting it done,” Nassir noted.
However, Ali dismissed this as public relations arguing
majority of county employees are silently complaining because of systemic
failures.
“The continuous
cries of the people of Mombasa could fill up the Indian Ocean,” the MP noted.
“How can a
government dare to say they prioritize the welfare of all Mombasa residents
when they can barely take care of their own employees?” he said.
Ali has set his eyes on the governor seat, silently crisscrossing the county, meeting women and youth across all the six sub-counties, and pushing his change agenda.
“It’s time for
the county government to shape up and start serving the people, not their own
interests!” he said.
He noted turning to
bloggers and propagandists will not help save the change that will sweep the
county in 2027.
“To the
propagandists, your work will be difficult this time round because Mombasa people
will not fall for theatrics. They are desperate for change and change is
coming,” Ali declared.
Ali’s movement in
Mombasa has also seen him lock horns with former Kisauni MP Ali Mbogo, who is
also eying the governor seat in 2027.
Ali and Mbogo have been trading burbs over ethnic vitriol with each accusing the other of stoking tension by tribal talk..
There is belief among Mombasa residents that
the 2027 governor race will be open, especially after the death of ODM leader
Raila Odinga. Observers believe the departed former premier was the key figure
in the orange party enjoying massive support in Mombasa, with many believing most
of the elected leaders in the county were depending on him for election.
