Businessman Shahbal responds to Ruto: ‘I will be on the ballot’ in 2027 Mombasa race

Mombasa businessman and East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) member Suleiman Shahbal has rejected President William Ruto's advice to abandon his political ambitions.

Shahbal made his position clear on September 9 in a post on social media declaring that he will contest for the Mombasa governorship in the 2027 General Election.

“In no uncertain terms, in August 2027 whether they like it or not, I will be on the ballot! Change Must Come!”

He accompanied the statement with a video in which he directly addressed the political contest and insisted that his gubernatorial ambitions remain alive.

Shahbal added that his political journey would continue depending on the availability of resources, saying he remained committed to the Mombasa contest.

Shahbal's declaration comes barely a day after Ruto publicly discouraged him from seeking the Mombasa governor's position.

The President made the remarks at State House, Nairobi, on September 8, while witnessing the signing of a major investment agreement involving Shahbal's GulfCap Group and global logistics company DP World.

Ruto acknowledged Shahbal's entrepreneurial credentials but said he believed the businessman could make a greater contribution through investment than elective politics.

“This country cannot be grown by politicians alone. We need serious industrialists. We need serious investors,” Ruto said, according to reports of the event.

The President said he had personally asked Shahbal to consider remaining in business.

“I told him, Shahbal, my friend, please, you know, we need you in a different space,” Ruto said.

He also joked that remaining an investor was better than being “kusumbuliwa na MCAs” — being constantly bothered by Members of the County Assembly.

Shahbal has now made clear that Ruto's position has not changed his own plans.

The political exchange happened against the backdrop of a major investment involving Shahbal's GulfCap Group.

GulfCap and DP World signed an agreement to develop a 222-hectare, or roughly 535-acre, Special Economic Zone in Jomvu, Mombasa.

The project is valued at more than $100 million, approximately Sh12 billion, and is intended to attract manufacturing, logistics, export and other businesses to the Coast. GulfCap and DP World say the development could eventually support more than 20,000 direct and indirect jobs, while the first phase will cover 40 hectares.

Earlier reporting put the number of direct jobs expected from the development at about 7,972. The project is also expected to attract dozens of companies and strengthen Mombasa's position as an industrial and logistics hub.

It was during this investment ceremony that Ruto made his appeal to Shahbal to stay focused on entrepreneurship.

Shahbal's long political journey

The 2027 contest would not be Shahbal's first attempt at securing the Mombasa governorship.

He first contested the position in 2013, running on a Wiper Democratic Movement ticket against then-Mombasa political heavyweight Hassan Joho. Shahbal lost the election and subsequently challenged the result in court.

He returned to the race in 2017, this time under the Jubilee Party, again facing Joho.

In the run-up to the 2022 General Election, Shahbal returned to ODM and sought the party's nomination for governor. He eventually stepped aside after negotiations involving the party leadership and backed Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir, who went on to win the election.

His decision to withdraw at the time was framed around his argument that the objective was not necessarily for him personally to become governor, but to achieve political change and development in Mombasa.

That position has now changed considerably.

His latest declaration suggests that he intends to personally pursue the seat in 2027, reviving a political ambition that has followed him for more than a decade.

From international banking to Mombasa politics

Shahbal has built a career spanning business, investment and politics.

He is chairman of GulfCap Group and has held senior positions in international banking, including work with Citibank and Bank Muscat. He has also served as chair of the Kenya National Electronic Single Window System (KenTrade).

He currently serves as an EALA legislator, while his business interests have included finance, real estate, energy and logistics. His education includes finance studies at the University of Illinois, international banking studies at the University of Colorado Boulder and a Global MBA from USIU-Africa.