The former deputy president, Rigathi Gachagua, has stated that they have mutually agreed to have Nyali MP Mohammed Ali vie for the Mombasa gubernatorial seat on a Wiper ticket.

While speaking to media stations from the Coast region on April 25, Gachagua stated that, despite Mohammed Ali being a member of the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), they have agreed with Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka to field him as the united opposition candidate for the Mombasa seat.

”Huyu Mohamed Ali ni mtu yangu ya DCP, lakini nimekubaliana na my cousin Kalonzo Musyoka kwamba asimame na Wiper hapa Mombasa.”

This comes days after Rigathi Gachagua stated that there will be no zoning within the united opposition, except in major cities such as Nairobi and Mombasa.

Mohamed Ali’s Mombasa quest

This also comes days after seasoned political analyst Herman Manyora has weighed in on the 2027 Mombasa gubernatorial race, saying that Nyali MP Mohammed Ali might spell doom for incumbent Abdulswamad Sherrif Nassir.

While speaking during an interview on his YouTube channel on Friday, October 31, 2025, Manyora said that the coastal political dynamics have changed since the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and are now appearing to favour Mohammed Ali, who has declared interest in the county’s top seat.

Manyora’s view

According to Manyora, Mohammed Ali, who has roots in northeastern Kenya, is a “really scary” candidate because he challenges the long-standing belief that Mombasa must be governed by a coastal politician.

The narrative has always been that leadership in Mombasa is a “coastal puzzle”, but Ali is shifting that conversation by introducing the non-coastal angle. Additionally, the presence of a strong opposition in Mombasa means Nassir cannot afford to feel secure.

He went further to say that it would have been easier for Nassir if Raila were still alive. The absence of Raila denies Nassir a father figure who was adored by the coastal people for years. What is happening in ODM after Raila’s death also means the party’s influence at the Coast is weakening. This puts Nassir at a significant disadvantage.

“Mohamed Ali is really scary. Because he comes with the thinking that it is possible for a non-coastal person to be governor of Mombasa. The narrative has been, ‘It must be a coastal puzzle.’  Now he’s bringing the non-coastal angle. And number two, the presence of opposition in Mombasa means Nasir cannot sit pretty. ”Manyora says.