A governor aspirant in Mombasa has been cleared by the electoral commission to run as an independent candidate in the March 4 polls.

Tendai Lewa Mtana, 35, was cleared by registrar of political parties Lucy Ndung'u. To qualify as an independent candidate, one must not have been a member of any political party three months before the general election.

Speaking in Mombasa yesterday, the former aide to Republican Congress Party leader Aspirant Najib Balala said he is a fresh blood in the leadership of the Coast.

Mtana asked Mombasa residents to vet leaders carefully. He said his experience in private and public sectors will help him "restore the dignity of Mombasa".

Mtana, who is the of former Bahari MP Lewa Mtana, said he will diversify economic opportunities for Mombasa as well as address land issues, education and "massively invest" in healthcare and infrastructure.

He urged locals to stop recycling leaders who have failed to perform in their previous mandates. "I have looked at the politics in the region and realized we need to reshape our leadership. This is a region that has been marginalized and underdeveloped. I want to transform it into the regional powerhouse it should be," he said.

Mtana is contesting against transport assistant minister Ali Hassan Joho (ODM), Ibrahim Khamisi (RC) and Suleiman Shahbal who recently decamped from UDF to Wiper. He urged youths to shun from violence and called for a peaceful electoral process among Mombasa residents.