MOMBASA, Kenya — UDA Secretary-General Hassan Sarai has intensified his grassroots mobilisation and voter-registration campaign in Mombasa as he steps up efforts to unseat the incumbent governor in the 2027 elections.
Speaking during an engagement with village elders from Mvita Constituency, Sarai called for greater community participation in voter registration, saying residents must take responsibility for determining the county’s political leadership.
“We must come together as people so that we can forge a way forward in this port city of ours. We cannot always complain about bad leadership yet we are the same people who are not registering as voters and voting. Let us wake up and register our people,” Sarai said.
Sarai urged the village elders to intensify the mobilisation and registration of young people, particularly those who have not yet registered as voters. He also asked them to report any challenges they encounter during the registration process.
“The government has given you a mandate, and that is why you have already started receiving stipends. Do your work with the same zeal you had. If there is any officer who becomes a hindrance to your work, please do not hesitate to raise the alarm,” he said.
The UDA official also challenged politicians to use government opportunities to empower qualified members of the wider community rather than favouring relatives.
He said political leaders have a responsibility to ensure that government opportunities benefit deserving citizens and contribute to the development of local communities.
“I am talking to some leaders who, whenever an opportunity arises, make sure their families are the ones getting the opportunity, yet there are many people who deserve those positions because they have the needed qualifications,” Sarai said.
Sarai further disclosed that he has discussed his plans for Mombasa with President William Ruto and expressed confidence that he will contest in the 2027 elections.
“I have talked with the President about my plans for Mombasa, and he knows that I will be on the ballot come 2027,” he said.
Sarai said his vision is to transform Mombasa into a more inclusive county, promising to leverage his experience and connections with investors to attract investment and create opportunities for residents.
He also criticised the construction of a mosque at Treasury Square Park, questioning the decision to establish a religious facility within a public recreational space.
“We need to change Mombasa into an inclusive county, not the way it is being governed. How can one build a mosque in a public park? Isn’t it a call for religious conflict? We need to see a stop to the construction of the mosque at Treasury Square Park,” he said.
Transport Principal Secretary Mohamed Dagar said Mombasa has significant economic advantages because of its position as Kenya’s main port city.
Dagar said the numerous infrastructure projects in the county should be strategically utilised to create employment opportunities for young people and stimulate economic growth.
“We need to think about how we can use this infrastructure to secure job opportunities for our youth and build our county and country at large,” Dagar said.
The PS also raised concerns over the continued closure of the Old Port facility, which he attributed to an ongoing court case.
Dagar said reopening the facility would restore regional trade links and create additional economic opportunities for Mombasa and the wider Coast region.
“I will personally take charge to make sure this port is opened and serves the people of Kenya. We used to receive cargo from Zanzibar and Tanzania and send our cargo to those islands across the region, but now we cannot do that anymore. I will make sure that traffic is restored,” he said.
The remarks come as political activity in Mombasa begins to intensify ahead of the 2027 General Election, with potential candidates increasingly turning to grassroots mobilisation and voter registration as they seek to consolidate support across the county.
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