Governor Abdulswamad Nassir calls out Rigathi Gachagua over Mombasa Port stance
According to Governor Abdulswamad, Gachagua was conspicuously silent during the port’s partial relocation to Nairobi.
Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir has hit back at former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua for political posturing over the Port of Mombasa’s operations.
Addressing residents during the launch of the #NoChildLeftBehind bursary initiative at Changamwe Secondary School, Governor Abdulswamad dismissed Gachagua’s recent pronouncements on the port as opportunistic and insincere.
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According to Governor Abdulswamad, Gachagua was conspicuously silent during the port’s partial relocation to Nairobi.
“In the days when the port of Mombasa was being stripped of its dignity, when vital functions were being shipped off to Nairobi, where was Gachagua? He was then a senior member of parliament, and later a powerful deputy president. He did not lift a finger to stop the injustice. Now he comes to Mombasa preaching salvation as though he is a messiah. Let me be clear, Mombasa does not need a false messiah. We already did the work,” said Governor Abdulswamad.
The governor’s remarks come in the wake of renewed debate about devolving port operations to benefit coastal communities.
For years, leaders from the coast region have agitated for a reversal of the 2018 directive that saw the transfer of cargo clearance services to inland depots in Nairobi and Naivasha, a move they argue deprived Mombasa of revenue and jobs.
Governor Abdulswamad credited the eventual partial return of port services to a unified campaign by coastal leadership, including members of parliament, county assembly representatives, civil society groups, and the county government.
He stressed that this progress was the result of persistent grassroots mobilisation and policy pressure, not favours from national leaders.
“Those who abandoned the coast when it was bleeding economically cannot now return to the scene and expect applause,” he stated.
Governor Abdulswamad went on to assert that the region is no longer susceptible to political tokenism.
“Mombasa is not seeking pity. We are charting our course. Let it be known we are not waiting for rescue. We are building our future ourselves,” he stated.
The bursary scheme aims to cover tuition fees for all students enrolled in public day secondary schools across the county, ensuring no child drops out due to financial constraints.
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