As political leaders prepare to launch their manifestos following party primaries, Mombasa residents are likely to vote for those who plan to address shortages of clean water, the high cost of living and unemployment.
Mombasa residents consider the three issues as directly affecting their lives, according to the latest Infotrak Research and Consulting Firm poll commissioned by the Nation Media Group.
Transport, infrastructure and insecurity also feature prominently.
Mombasa receives 150,000 million litres of water daily and has a shortage of more than 130,000 cubic metres. The demand is expected to increase to 187 million litres next year, explaining the need to address the issue urgently.
The top contenders for the Mombasa governor’s seat, Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir and former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko, have pledged to invest more on clean water if they are elected.
“I cannot understand why we have water shortages yet we have investors who are willing to partner with the county government to desalinate water from the ocean,” said Mr Sonko when he addressed Mombasa residents at a recent roadside rally.
Mr Nassir, on the other hand, said he would purify most of the boreholes in Mombasa to increase access to clean water.
“I will continue with what I have been doing in Mvita constituency to equip all boreholes with purifiers to other five sub-counties to boost access to clean water to bridge the gap of water inadequacy,” said Mr Nassir.
Residents had high hopes after Governor Hassan Joho promised to invest Sh16 billion in desalination plants, one each at Shimo la Tewa and Likoni constituency, but the two projects have failed to kick off.
Five years after the Mombasa County Assembly approved plans to desalinate seawater to help address acute shortages, the project is stuck at the planning stage.
On the high cost of living and unemployment, Mombasa residents have decried the high cost of permits and an unconducive business environment.
High costs of business permits and lack of interest among investors to set up factories in Mombasa have been blamed for increasing poverty.
In the report released earlier this month, Infotrak found the two issues were of concern to locals and whoever offers solutions to them will likely have an edge over others.
Among the respondents, 50 percent noted that the cost of living issue should be included in the candidates’ manifestos, whereas 41 percent felt candidates need to address unemployment.
Besides the three top issues, respondents also identified transport, especially ferry services, increasing insecurity and crime, and access to healthcare as challenges that need to be addressed by the incoming elected leaders.
The survey showed that 77 percent of Mombasa residents are worried about insecurity ahead of the August 9 General Election.
Despite that fear, 80 percent of Mombasa residents were optimistic the August polls would be peaceful, whereas 10 percent feared violence would erupt. BY DAILY NATION