Shahbal: Half of Mombasa businesses are dying
Businessman and Mombasa gubernatorial aspirant Suleiman Shahbal has claimed that half of businesses in Mombasa are struggling to survive, warning that the county risks sinking further unless leaders act to revive its economy. Speaking during a morning interview on Monday, September 14, 2026, Shahbal said small businesses were closing while large companies were leaving Mombasa. […]
Suleiman Shahbal, a Mombasa gubernatorial candidate, disclosed the circumstances surrounding his withdrawal from the race in 2022, which led him to support Raila Odinga's presidential bid. The decision was made after a meeting at former Governor Hassan Joho's house. During the meeting, Odinga invited Shahbal to join him at the national level, offering him a Cabinet position focused on industrialisation, manufacturing, and investment.
Shahbal, however, remained committed to Mombasa and believed that addressing the county's issues would benefit the nation as a whole. The situation was further complicated when then-President Uhuru Kenyatta, who supported Odinga's presidential bid, also contacted Shahbal. Ultimately, Shahbal withdrew from the race on April 15, 2022, allowing Nassir to secure the ODM ticket.
The businessman expressed that the decision was painful as he had built a campaign around supporters who had invested their hopes in his candidacy. Two years later, Odinga reportedly apologised to Shahbal during a meeting in Addis Ababa. Now, Shahbal is re-entering the race for Mombasa governor ahead of the 2027 general election, rejecting calls to abandon his latest bid.
Written by urgent.news from People Daily Kenya's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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