‘Nassir Is My Successor,’ Governor Joho Says On Mombasa Governorship Race

Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho has downplayed the influence former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko’s late entry into the county’s governorship race will have at the polls.  

This comes after Sonko was, in late April, handed a direct ticket by the Wiper Democratic Movement to vie for the county’s governorship, in a move that appears to have ruffled a few feathers in the region’s political landscape.

Speaking on Monday, after attending Eid-ul-Fitr prayers Joho underscored that residents of Mombasa have already settled on Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir as his successor.  As such, Joho added that Wiper’s decision to field Sonko would backfire on the Kalonzo Musyoka-led party.

 “We want a leader who can easily unite the people of Mombasa and do even better than the current administration, which I lead. That person is Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir,” Joho said as quoted by the Standard.

On his part, Nassir, who was also in attendance, equally stated that Mombasa was no place for political outcasts, in a perceived dig on Sonko’s impeachment during his tenure as Nairobi governor.

The legislator is also optimistic that ODM candidates pursuing elective seats in the Mombasa will floor their rivals, noting that the party will carry out intense campaigns to stamp their authority in a region they term as their stronghold.

“Let them stop such wishful thinking. We will go full throttle to ensure ODM retains all elective seats in Mombasa County,” he said.

Nassir will now battle it out against Sonko, former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar, Deputy Governor Wiliam Kingi and Awiti Bolo, who are all eyeing the county’s top seat.