Suleiman Shahbal: Too Valuable to Govern? Mombasa Begs to Differ

Editor’s note: Ruto wants Suleiman Shahbal in business. Ishaq Jumbe explains why that may be precisely why Mombasa needs him as its next governor.

On September 8, Ruto praised Shahbal’s business acumen, then asked him to stay out of politics. Kenya needs investors like him, Ruto said, not another politician.

But the businessman, with his trademark panache for tenacity and passion in turning around the fortunes of the port city he describes as home, begged to differ.

Shahbal’s reply was short: Thank you, Mr President, but Mombasa comes first.

That exchange cuts to the heart of the county’s problem.

Mombasa has a world-class port, stunning beaches, and a strategic location that should make it rich. Instead, wealth passes through it without staying.

Fourteen Years in the Making

This isn’t a new ambition. Shahbal first ran for governor in 2013 on a Wiper ticket, losing to Hassan Joho, 132,583 votes to 94,905.

Even then, he stood out, a technocrat pitching jobs and infrastructure instead of insults.

In 2022, he entered the race again, then stepped aside for Abdulswamad Nassir, a decision he later admitted disappointed his supporters and apologised for.

Now he’s back, betting that voters, not parties, should have the final say.

The Paradox at the Port

Ships loaded with billions in commercial value dock in Mombasa daily. Containers roll out toward Nairobi and beyond.

And yet the county’s young people can’t find work.

Shahbal’s argument: a container shouldn’t just generate port fees and a trucking fee; it should spin off warehouses, manufacturing, logistics, and jobs.

Suleiman Shahbal. Photo/courtesy

A tourist shouldn’t just fund a hotel; they should support guides, fishermen, and small vendors down the chain.

Right now, Mombasa captures the transaction and loses the multiplier.

From Banker to Builder

Shahbal isn’t new to making money move. He built a career in Gulf banking, helped launch Gulf African Bank, and grew GulfCap into a serious investment player after surviving a business collapse along the way.

Now his pitch has a physical address. GulfCap and DP World are building a KSh12 billion, 535-acre industrial zone in Jomvu for logistics, manufacturing, exports, and investment while creating thousands of jobs.

The “transform Mombasa’s economy” line isn’t just a stump speech anymore; it’s under construction.

The Real Test

Money and connections aren’t the strongest case for Shahbal. His record of coming back after losing, then the dramatic stepdown; his “never say die” attitude is.

But belief isn’t a plan. Shahbal owes Mombasa specifics: how he’ll run a clean administration, what jobs numbers look like, how water, housing, and transport actually improve, and how investment deals benefit locals, not just investors.

READ ALSO: Shahbal, Buxton Developers Secure Major Court Victory as Appeal Judges Throw Out Contempt Case

Mombasa doesn’t lack ambitious speeches. It lacks someone who can turn a strategic port into an actual pay cheque.

Ruto just made the case, unintentionally, that Shahbal might be that person. In 2027, Mombasa gets to decide if he’s right.

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