Nyali Constituency Member of Parliament, Mohamed Ali, is crying foul after three of his outdoor billboards carrying a civic message encouraging voter registration were taken down in Mombasa.

In a press statement issued on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, the journalist-turned-politician accused the Mombasa County Government of suppressing civic freedoms after the billboards were forcibly removed across the city.

Ali said the billboards, which carried the message “Utawala Bora sio zawadi. Ni haki yako. Chukua kura tujikomboe” (Good governance is not a gift. It is your right. Register. Liberate ourselves), were lawfully procured and intended solely to encourage residents to register as voters ahead of the 2027 elections.

“I wish to bring to the attention of the public, media, and relevant authorities a deeply troubling development that occurred on the night of 6th April 2026 across Mombasa County,” the lawmaker stated.

“Three outdoor billboards carrying a civic message encouraging voter registration that I lawfully procured through Magnate Ventures and other licensed vendors, were forcibly pulled down following intimidation and threats directed at advertising operators.”

According to Moha Jicho Pevu, the billboards were located in Buxton, Ferry, and Kibarani.

In his statement, the lawmaker noted that the incident violated the citizens’ freedom of expression as enshrined in Article 33 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to communicate ideas, particularly those of public interest.

“The pulling down of billboards with such civic messaging is an outright abuse of power and the suppression of civic space. It violates our freedom of expression as enshrined in Article 33 of the Constitution which guarantees the right to communicate ideas, particularly those of public interest,” he stated.

“It further suppresses voter awareness efforts in the Coast as a futile attempt to maintain the historical low voter registration levels in the region. This deplorable action also infringes on the rights of private businesses as advertising vendors are being intimidated and threatened for simply engaging in legitimate commerce.”

Intimidation

He further accused the county leadership, under Governor Abdulswamad Sharrif Nassir, of intimidating advertising vendors and extending threats to digital screen operators who were set to air animated versions of the same message.

Ali warned that the incident goes beyond the billboards themselves.

“I have further been informed that similar threats have been extended to operators of digital screens across the County, warning them against airing an animated version of the same message. Vendors have pointed to pressure emanating from within the County Government led by Governor Abdulswamad Sharrif Nassir. The message carried on these billboards was not inflammatory, not partisan, and not unlawful,” the statement reads in part.

The lawmaker also called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to intervene urgently, describing the takedown as interference with legitimate voter registration awareness efforts.

“I hereby call upon the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to urgently investigate and intervene in what is clearly an interference with legitimate voter registration awareness efforts,” he stated.

Enhanced Continuous Voter Registration (ECVR)

The IEBC has been conducting a 30-day Enhanced Continuous Voter Registration (ECVR) exercise as it seeks to boost participation ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The 30-day registration drive will run until April 28, 2026, offering Kenyans an opportunity to register as voters, transfer polling stations, and update their details.

The IEBC announced that eligible citizens can access several services during the exercise, including voter registration and transfer.