NAIROBI, Kenya – Businessman and East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Suleiman Shahbal has explained why he is refusing to drop his 2027 Mombasa governorship bid despite President William Ruto asking him to stay out of the race.
Shahbal said his decision is driven by his desire to bring competence and professionalism into politics, arguing that poor leadership has denied qualified Kenyans opportunities to contribute to the country’s development.
“It is competent people who should be encouraged to go into government and to go into politics so that we can change this country,” Shahbal said during an interview with NTV on Monday.
Shahbal: Competence should come before politics
The Mombasa gubernatorial hopeful said Kenya cannot transform by appointing people solely because they are politically aligned with those in power.
“We will never change this country by just putting people there just because they are politically right,” he said.
Shahbal also called on young Kenyans with professional skills to enter politics, saying a new generation of competent leaders could help address longstanding leadership challenges.
“It is time for competent young people to go into politics, and many of them will tell you we don’t have the structures, we have the structures, we don’t have the money, we will find the money, but we have to encourage young people to come into politics,” he said.
Shahbal criticises Ruto’s first Cabinet
Shahbal pointed to President Ruto’s first Cabinet as an example of what he considers the consequences of prioritising political considerations over competence.
“Look at the first cabinet the president came with; he brought in some really incompetent people who are politically right, and look at the mess they put him in,” he argued.
His comments come days after Ruto publicly advised him to abandon his political ambitions and concentrate on entrepreneurship.
Ruto tells Shahbal to focus on business
Ruto made the remarks on September 8 while opening Shahbal’s Special Economic Zone, where he acknowledged the businessman’s entrepreneurial achievements but said he opposed his bid for the Mombasa governor’s seat.
“I told Shahbal that I know you want to run for governor in Mombasa. And I told him I am against it. Forgive me, my brother, Shahbal,” Ruto said.
The President described Shahbal as a leading entrepreneur with the acumen, capacity and connections to undertake major investments.
“You are a great entrepreneur. It’s not easy to come across people like you, who have the acumen, who have the capacity, who have the connection, who dare to do the kind of investments that are going on in this country,” Ruto said.
Shahbal says political defiance is deliberate
Despite the President’s appeal, Shahbal has maintained that he will remain in the Mombasa governor’s race.
He said his decision to go against Ruto’s advice is driven by his political ambitions and desire to serve in elective office.
Shahbal is now positioning himself for a competitive 2027 Mombasa gubernatorial contest, arguing that competent young professionals should be encouraged to seek political office and bring new ideas into government.
