Mombasa politician and businessman Suleiman Shahbal has reaffirmed his intention to contest the Mombasa gubernatorial seat in the 2027 General Election, saying his bid is driven by the need for change in the county.
Shahbal, who is a Member of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), said nothing would make him withdraw from the race unless God or the people of Mombasa decide otherwise.
“Mombasa is calling, and it’s not calling Shahbal alone. It’s calling all of us,” Shahbal said.
His remarks came shortly after President William Ruto advised him to focus on business rather than pursue the Mombasa governorship.
Ruto gave the advice during the signing of a Sh12 billion agreement involving Shahbal’s GulfCap Group and DP World to develop a Special Economic Zone in Jomvu, Mombasa. The project is expected to attract investment and create thousands of jobs.
However, Shahbal has maintained that his political ambitions remain intact, and has hinted at the possibility of running on an independent ticket following previous challenges in securing party nominations.
The 2027 election would mark Shahbal’s third attempt at the Mombasa governorship. He first contested the seat in 2013 through Wiper and lost to Ali Hassan Joho. He made another attempt in 2017 on a Jubilee ticket but was again defeated by Joho.
In 2022, Shahbal sought the ODM nomination but later withdrew from the race and backed incumbent Governor Abdulswamad Nassir.
