Nairobi — Nyali MP and Mombasa gubernatorial contender Mohamed Ali has accused unnamed county actors of orchestrating the removal of three billboards carrying a civic message in a late-night operation.
Ali said the billboards -- located in Buxton, Ferry and Kibarani -- were removed on the night of April 6 following what he described as "intimidation and threats" directed at advertising firms contracted to host the campaign.
The MP claimed the pressure was linked to the Mombasa County administration led by Governor Abdulswamad Sharrif Nassir, alleging that operators of both static and digital advertising platforms had been warned against displaying or airing the message.
"Three outdoor billboards carrying a civic message encouraging voter registration... were forcibly pulled down following intimidation and threats directed at advertising operators," the lawmaker eyeing the Mombasa gubernatorial seat of DCP ticket said on Tuesday.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
The contested message -- "Utawala Bora sio zawadi. Ni haki yako. Chukua kura tujikomboe" (Good governance is not a gift. It is your right. Register. Liberate ourselves.) -- was, according to Ali, non-partisan and aimed purely at boosting voter awareness in a region historically marked by low registration and turnout.
He termed the incident "an outright abuse of power" and a violation of constitutional guarantees on freedom of expression, arguing that the removal of the billboards undermines public interest communication and civic participation.
"The pulling down of billboards with such civic messaging is an outright abuse of power and the suppression of civic space."
Ali further warned that the alleged actions risk chilling legitimate business operations, saying private advertising vendors were being targeted for engaging in lawful commercial activities.
'Family affair'
Framing the dispute as part of a broader political struggle in the coastal county, the legislator accused entrenched interests of seeking to maintain control by suppressing dissent and limiting civic engagement.
"For so long, Mombasa has been run by people who assume that the whole county is their family affair... The county has been milked dry at the expense of Mombasa people."
He argued that the real issue was not the billboards themselves, but the message they carried -- one that he said challenges citizens to reclaim their democratic power through the ballot.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The MP has now called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to investigate what he termed as interference with voter registration efforts, and urged residents to remain vigilant.
"This is not about one candidate--it is about your right to choose leadership freely."
There was no immediate response from the Mombasa County Government regarding the allegations at the time of publication.
