Mombasa Leaders Back Ruto’s Land Plan, Demand Transparency on Port Jobs
By Mbungu Harrison
Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com
Mombasa leaders have backed President William Ruto’s pledge to resolve historical land injustices saying it would ease decades of disputes and shift the region’s political agenda ahead of 2027.
Speaking after Eid al-Adha prayers at Masjid Ummu Kulthum in Kizingo, mining cabinet secretary Hassan Joho praised the President’s recent tour of the Coast as fruitful and said it had brought tangible development to residents.
“The tour of President Ruto was fruitful, since residents and the region reaped development from the tour,” Mr Joho said.
He urged politicians to stop politicising land issues and said the Kenya Kwanza administration was keen to address historical injustices.
The government’s purchase of land, he added, was a sign of commitment to the Coast.
“The whole idea is to try and remove the politicisation of land issues at the coast,” he said.
“I expressed optimism that the Kenya Kwanza administration is keen to solve the historical injustices,” he added.
Joho also called for clarity on recent Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) recruitment, demanding that the total number hired and the ethnic breakdown of those employed at the Port of Mombasa be made public.
“I want to see the numbers, the ethnic breakdown and the numbers that were employed at the port of Mombasa,” he said.
He expressed hope that the Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone would create jobs as employment at the port shrinks, and said his ministry was expanding opportunities in the blue economy for youth.
Joho also said he had rekindled his presidential ambitions, noting that mobilising people for future goals was not an offence.
Nyali political aspirant Said Abdalla echoed the support for land reforms, saying the government had shown goodwill to resolve long-standing injustices that have burdened many families.
“Our problem of lands will be solved, and as we move towards 2027 we will have different agendas because the government has shown interest and goodwill to solve the long-lasting land injustices,” Abdalla said.
He called on Mombasa communities to coexist and support the needy during the celebrations.
Both leaders said settling land disputes would allow the Coast to focus on development, unity and job creation.
Joho, speaking after prayers, added that “life is about sacrifice, giving to the needy and those who are less privileged.
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