EALA MP Suleiman Shahbal [second left] at Bandari Maritime Academy on Tuesday / JOHN CHESOLI


EALA MP Suleiman Shahbal at Bandari Maritime Academy on Tuesday / JOHN CHESOLI
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East African Legislative Assembly MP Suleiman Shahbal has once again apologised to his supporters for stepping down from the 2022 Mombasa governor race.

He also revealed the intense behind-the-scenes pressure that influenced his decision.

Speaking at a leadership and mentorship forum at the Bandari Maritime Academy on Tuesday, Shahbal said he was coerced by the late ODM leader Raila Odinga to step aside in favour of then Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir.

“In politics, you make decisions, and you must live with the consequences,” Shahbal told university students from the Coast region.

He admitted carrying a heavy burden of guilt for shelving his bid without consulting his supporters.

“The campaign for governor was not just mine; it represented the hopes and dreams of thousands who worked with me. I should have consulted them before agreeing to Baba’s request,” he said.

Shahbal said he had been offered the Cabinet Secretary position for Trade and Industrialisation, which he initially declined. However, party leadership, including Raila and then President Uhuru Kenyatta, insisted he steps down.

“When Raila held my hand and said, ‘The nation is bigger than your personal ambition,’ it was difficult to say no,” he said, describing his relationship with Raila as that of a mentor, father figure and political guide.

The MP said the experience taught him that politics should be a calling to serve, not personal promotion.

“I ran for office because I wanted to use my resources, experience and international contacts to give back to my community,” he said.

Reflecting on the ordeal, Shahbal said his family, including his wife, had been deeply affected by the decision.

“Mistakes and failures are lessons. No matter who stands in our way, change will come,” he concluded, hinting at a possible future run for Mombasa governor.