1.
Ali Hassan Joho
[Mombasa governor Ali Hassan Joho. Photo/ GPS].
He is the Mombasa County Governor who is serving his second term. Joho has no doubt built his name in the political arena by taking the President head on towards the end of 2017 throughout 2018. However, the two political leaders reconciled recently and has seen Joho’s business interests in the import and transport sector returned to normalcy and expanding beyond the Coast region.
He has been the Coast political king pin and ODM deputy party leader as well as Raila Odinga’s right hand man. Joho has declared he will vie for Presidency in the upcoming 2022 General Elections. His political influence at the Coast is unmatched and is believed to be the deciding factor for many political leaders careers.
2.
Mohamed Jaffer
[GBHL Chairman Mohamed Jaffer. Photo/ Courtesy].
He owns the Grain Bulk Handlers limited – a sole huge grain handling company worth billions of shillings.
Jaffer is the Chairman of the MJ Group of Companies, which has interests in dry and liquid bulk cargo handling. One of the group’s flagship companies is Grain Bulk Handlers Limited (GBHL), a grain terminal specialising in the discharge and handling of bulk grain imports at the Port of Mombasa. GBHL is one of Africa’s largest grain handlers.
Jaffer conceived the idea for GBHL more than 30 years ago, with the vision of revolutionising the handling of bulk grain and fertiliser imports at the Port of Mombasa. He began the construction of the project in 1998 after receiving $35 million funding from the World Bank.
His influence expands beyond the business sector as he is known for offering financial support to Coast politicians. He is widely respected by leaders across the Coast region.
3.
Abubakar Joho
[A renowned businessman Abubakar Joho. Photo/Courtesy].
He is famously known as ‘Abou’ or ‘Alpha’. He is a renowned businessman in and outside the country. ‘Alpha’ has a vast businesses in the transport sector as well as clearing and forwarding agencies at the national and international connections.
He has provided employment to many locals in Mombasa and he is well known as an open handed man to the needy in the society. He is revered mainly by youth and women who are beneficiaries of his philanthropy work.
Together with his younger brother Hassan Ali Joho they are known to be calling shots in the ODM party in the Coast region and the Mombasa county economy.
4.
Amason Jeffa Kingi
[Kilifi Governor Amason Jeffa Kingi. Photo/Courtesy].
He is the Governor of Kilifi County serving his second term. Kingi, a lawyer by profession, has vast knowledge of the law and he practiced in the bar before fully venturing into politics. He is one of the brightest and most educated of Coast politicians.
He has been a Member of Parliament, a Minister in the past regime, and a known defender of Kilifi and Coast people’s rights especially in matters revolving around the chronic land issue. He is an integral player of the Coast unity and is said to call the shots in the Jumuia ya County za Wapwani.
Kingi has been a strong opposition leader opposing various government intended plans which directly affect Kilifi residents and a close ally to Mombasa governor Ali Hassan Joho.
5.
Aisha Jumwa Katana
[Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa].
She is a renowned fearless vocal Malindi Member of Parliament. She is a female politician from the Coast region who is well known for giving her male counterparts hard times in the political arena.
Jumwa was the first Kilifi County Women Representative and uplifted Kilifi women politics to a top level. She has been fighting gender based violence and always engages youth and women to the right paths. She is popular amongst women of Kilifi and Coast
She has been focusing on the Kilifi Gubernatorial seat in 2022 where she says she will be in a better position to uplift the living standards of Kilifi County dwellers.
Jumwa has depicted women leaders as the main defenders of gender and human rights by challenging women in a fierce Malindi constituency political battle in 2017.
6.
Mahmoud Noor
[SwahiliPot-Hub Patron Mahmoud Noor. Photo/Courtesy SPH].
The youthful leader has been at the heart of many Mombasa locals especially the youth.
He is the Patron of SwahiliPot-Hub – A technology and arts centre based in Mombasa which has attracted national and international recognition. Mahmoud, an engineer by profession, is very close to the community especially the youth. He is well known for his mentorship skills and has enabled many youth realize their talents, nurture them and finally earn from them.
SwahiliPot-Hub has grown to be an international centre where youth and children as young as 10 years old can now construct and manage their own websites.
Mahmoud once ventured into politics but dropped out without giving any major reasons. However, many Mombasa residents and mainly the youth have been drumming for his name to resurface in the political arena in 2022.
7.
Hasmuk Kanji Patel
[Hasmuk Kanji Patel (Left). Photo. Courtesy].
He is one of the main stake owners of Mombasa Cement Company. He has won various awards for his contribution to alleviating human suffering in Kilifi and other Coast counties by providing job opportunities to locals.
He is always close to local dwellers and pays special attention to the needy in the society. Well known for his boldhearted being, Patel values human being, love the less fortunate (Orphans, persons with disabilities, widows) and he loves being associated with them.
He likes spending time with his family and always helping the needy in the society. His company is known for his charity work including building of wall fences for schools and police stations in the Coast region.
8.
Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir
[Mvita Member of Parliament Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir. Photo Courtesy].
He is the current Mvita Member of Parliament. Nassir is well known for his close life with the community he serves. He has matters about the youth and women at heart and he has launched various projects geared towards uplifting the living standards of the youth and women within Mvita constituency.
Nassir has already declared interest in the Mombasa Gubernatorial race. He is a darling to many locals within and outside Mvita constituency and is very active in social media. He also works closely with local groups and is a darling of the media.
He is famously known for his slogan ‘Kazi tunaitenda na bado’.
9.
Hussein Khalid
[Haki Africa Executive director Hussein Khalid. Photo/ Maxwell Ngala].
He is the Executive Director of HAKI Africa – a giant human rights organisation that recently was uplifted to oversee human rights issues across Africa continent.
Khalid is known for his zeal in human rights issues and fighting for the rights of people countrywide. He has fearlessly countered several wrangles with security agents as well as a section of politicians but he never relented.
His organisation is one of the most influential in the civil society overseeing a budget of about 70 million per year. He is well connected with international actors in the country including Ambassadors and High Commissioners. He is also influential with government officials including DPP Nurdin Haji and CS Fred Matiang’i.
A lawyer by profession, Mr. Khalid is a weekly columnist with the Star Newspaper where he writes on topical Coastal issues. He is currently working on how to take Haki Africa to cover all the African countries and ensure human rights and dignity issues are upheld by all African countries while oppression, human rights violation and extra judicial killings are completely extricated.
10.
Taib Abdulrahman Basheeib
[Reachout Executive director Taib Abdulrahman. Photo/ Tom Fondo].
He is the Executive director of Reachout Centre Trust, an anti-drug lobby that has brought immense changes in the fight against drug addiction among the Coastal youth.
Taib has worked tirelessly in pushing for progressive drug policies in the country, ensuring that drug users are not thrown in prisons but registered into methadone treatment program so that they can get the required treatment in a bid to help them recover and completely be disentangled from the menace.
He has enabled recovering drug users get employed at the Reachout Centre Trust as Peer educators so that they can propagate the same message to the many youth affected within the Coast region.
He has won several awards and recognitions from NACADA and the Kenya Red Cross society for his exemplary efforts in taming drug use among the Coastal communities and especially the youth.
Taib is eying the Mvita Parliamentary seat in 2022 general elections.
