Nyali MP Mohamed Ali has accused Governor Hassan Joho, his brother Abu Joho and their relative Said Abdalla of interfering with his development projects in his constituency
Mr Ali also said members of the Mombasa County Assembly are just a rubber stamp for Governor Joho.
In an interview with the Nation, Mr Ali said the governor was blaming him for his political woes and frustrating his development projects in Nyali.
He dared Mr Joho to name a project he has implemented in Nyali, claiming the sub-county had been sidelined because of politics.
“You are not denying me anything, it’s the people that you are hurting. You are punishing the electorate that voted for you,” he said, adding that the governor wants to kill his political career by stopping his development projects.
Mr Ali cited a project at Freretown Primary School as an example, saying Mr Joho had barred him from setting up a playground, digging a borehole, connecting the school to electricity and building a perimeter wall.
Although the project had been approved, the MP said when the contractor went to the site, Mombasa inspectorate officers stopped the work from starting.
“Since March, the inspectorate said they were constructing a stadium in the area which they insisted was in their plan. However, no construction has kicked off. It was meant to stop me,” he said.
He claimed Coast Regional Coordinator John Elungata failed to protect the developer and might be involved in the matter.
Contacted for comment, Mr Elungata said he did not want to be drawn into politics.
Mr Ali said he had secured Sh21 million to develop a secondary school at Ziwa la Ngombe Primary School but the contractor was allegedly beaten and chased from the area and construction materials destroyed.
“The construction has since stalled, yet we have funds. But there’s nothing we can do. Mr Elungata is denying us security because of the interest he has with the governor,” he said.
He also claimed he was to build a social hall and offices for the chief and the assistant county commissioner office in Mwatamba but was barred by Governor Joho.
“So, three projects worth over Sh40 million have been stopped by the governor. Mr Joho’s brother Abdalla uses goons to beat up people,” he said.
Mr Abu and Mr Joho did not answer phone calls seeking comment on Mr Ali’s allegations.
But Mr Abdalla rejected the claims.
“It’s an outright lie. I have never interfered with his projects. Freretown is community land which is under the county government. The governor has an allocation to build a stadium in the area,” he said.
Mr Ali also challenged Mombasa MCAs to outline their achievements.
During Mr Joho’s first term, the MP said, the assembly used to debate sensible motions but the current leaders are Mr Joho’s puppets.
“For instance, the Speaker was given the position because he is the governor’s friend. But Mombasa’s first county assembly Speaker Thadius Rajwai was sharp. The house used to bring in good motions,” he said.
Mr Rajwai was ousted after falling out with powerful people in the county following allegations of corruption and abuse of office.
Mr Ali singled out for criticism nominated MCA Fatma Kushe, who has been nominated twice through ODM since 2013.
The assembly, led by deputy Speaker Fadhili Makarani and Ms Kushe, condemned the MP, saying he was playing dirty politics instead of engaging in development.
“If supporting somebody is being a rubber stamp, then he is the biggest rubber stamp. He is Deputy President William Ruto’s rubber stamp. We don’t want to play dirty politics. Let him concentrate on 2022,” the deputy Speaker said.
“He’s been announcing that I was the governor’s maid. Are maids not human beings? I am very proud of myself. From a maid to an MCA. That’s a major achievement,” Ms Kushe said.
She urged Mr Ali to help destitute women in Nyali who have been crying for his help.
“Let him forget the Nyali seat. He should stop abusing me. I am an ODM life member, I have stuck with the party. That’s why I was nominated. But he should tell us what he has done as an MP,” she said. BY DAILY NATION