By; Mgandi Ngala
Coast Jubilee political allies have secured various appointments in President Uhuru Kenyatta’s recent reshuffle in various government parastatals.
Suleiman Shahbal who battled it out with the current Mombasa governor Ali Hassan Joho and three others secured a post as the Chairman of the Kenya Trade Network Agency which was formed under 2010 order.
Shahbal an international investor and who fought for the top Mombasa county seat in both 2013 and 2017 general elections but lost to Joho was a very close ally to the President and loyal member of Jubilee Party after he jumped from Musalia Mudavadi’s UDF party to Stephen Kalonzo’s Wiper Democratic and landed at Jubilee.
The gender parity was also adhered to as Amina Abdalla who vied for the Mombasa County Women representative seat and Beatrice Gambo who jumped off the ODM wagon to head Jubilee campaigns in Mombasa County in last years’ general elections were both appointed as Members of the Coast Development Authority board in a gazette notice released on Wednesday.
Both Amina and Gambo will also serve for three years before their time lapse.
Kwale County, which its leadership changed wings from ODM to Jubilee before 2017 general elections also reaped big as former KNUT Chairperson Mudzo Nzili was appointed a Non Executive member of the Kenyan National Irrigation Board while former Kwale County Women representative Zenab Chidzuga also secured her place as a member of the board.
Former Kwale Count Council Chairman who also vied twice for the senatorial seat under Jubilee government and missed the hit was appointed as a Member of the Coast Development Authority which in the recent past has performed dismally.
Major retired Joseph Kibwana landed a place as the Chair of the Kenya Ports Authority which of late has been marred by conflicts that led to the suspension of the Managing Director Catherine Mturi and Uhuru’s move is already seen as a way of cooling the Coastal community tempers.
Former Tana River Women representative Halima Ware Burno also landed at the National Environment Management Authority while Daula Omar and Naima Amir secured places at the poor performing Kenya Ferry Services Board.
