Nyali MP Mohamed Ali has accused officials within the Mombasa County Government of orchestrating the forcible removal of his billboards carrying civic education messages across the county.
In a statement on April 7, 2026, Ali claimed that the billboards were pulled down on the night of April 6, 2026, in areas including Buxton, Ferry and Kibarani, raising concerns over what he termed as deliberate interference.
“Three outdoor billboards carrying a civic message encouraging voter registration that I lawfully procured through Magnate Ventures and other licensed vendors were forcibly pulled down following intimidation and threats directed at advertising operators,” he said.
The lawmaker further alleged that operators of digital advertising screens have also been threatened and warned against airing an animated version of the civic education content.
“Vendors have pointed to pressure emanating from within the County Government led by Governor Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir,” he claimed.
Ali maintained that the message carried on the billboards;“Utawala Bora sio zawadi. Ni haki yako. Chukua kura tujikomboe” (Good governance is not a gift. It is your right. Register. Liberate ourselves.), was neither inflammatory nor partisan, but purely aimed at encouraging voter registration.
“This is a civic message encouraging voter registration—nothing more, nothing less,” he said.
He termed the removal of the billboards as an abuse of power and a suppression of civic space, arguing that it violates freedom of expression as provided for under Article 33 of the Constitution.
Ali also warned that the move could undermine voter awareness efforts in the Coast region, suggesting it may be aimed at maintaining historically low voter registration levels.
The MP further decried what he described as intimidation of private businesses, saying advertising vendors were being targeted for engaging in legitimate operations.
He called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to urgently investigate the matter and intervene, terming the incident as interference with lawful voter registration awareness efforts.
At the same time, Ali urged Mombasa residents to remain vigilant, insisting the issue goes beyond individual political interests to the protection of citizens’ right to freely choose their leaders.
