This archive report was first published on 18 September 2019.
As Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho's term comes to an end, top politicians in the county are positioning themselves to succeed him. Among those vying for the seat are CS for Tourism Najib Balala, former Jubilee aspirant Suleiman Shabaal, County Assembly Speaker Harub Khatri, MPs Mishi Mboko and Abdulswamad Nassir.
However, it is the ambitions of Likoni MP Mishi Mboko that have caught the attention of many Mombasa residents. Mboko, a former Mombasa County Women Representative and ardent member of the ODM Party, is a fierce defender of Raila Odinga. Odinga's influence in the county is well-known, and it is no surprise that he is reportedly planning to endorse Mboko for the Mombasa gubernatorial seat.
On Monday, Mboko accompanied Raila Odinga to Uganda for the Public Private Partnership Conference in Kampala. Also in Odinga's entourage was Florence Mutua, the Busia Women Representative. While Odinga's endorsement of Mboko would likely secure her the ODM ticket, it remains to be seen whether she will face opposition from other candidates, including Hassan Joho, who is fronting Ayub Khatri, the County Speaker.
However, if Mboko secures Odinga's endorsement, she will be in a strong position to become the first female governor of Mombasa County. Her impressive development record and popularity among the people of Likoni constituency and the larger Mombasa county make her a compelling candidate.
