Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Sheriff Nassir has launched a scathing attack on President William Ruto, just a week after Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o penned an explosive letter accusing Ruto of dragging Kenya back to the Nyayo era.
Nassir, who also serves as the ODM Deputy Party Leader, accused the national government of withholding critical road maintenance funds meant for counties, leaving local infrastructure in a state of disrepair.
Speaking during an address in Mombasa, Nassir questioned why officials in Nairobi, unfamiliar with the realities on the ground, should decide how the funds are spent.
“How is it that a person who doesn’t even know Mombasa region decides on spending? It is not fair that millions remain in Nairobi while our people suffer,” he said, highlighting the deteriorating state of Mombasa’s roads, worsened by heavy rains and poor drainage.
President Ruto has insisted that the national government should continue disbursing the funds directly, rejecting calls by governors to devolve control over road maintenance finances.
His stance has fueled tensions with opposition leaders, including Raila Odinga, who argue that roads are a devolved function under the Constitution.
Nassir lamented that governors are often blamed for poor roads while national agencies like the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) and Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), which manage the funds, remain faceless and disconnected from local problems.
“Nobody knows the Director General of KeNHA or KURA. Yet, when roads are impassable, it’s the governor who faces the wrath of the people,” Nassir said.
He added that his administration had formally offered to take over road repairs if the national agencies are unable to deliver.
“It is we who wear the shoe and know where it pinches,” Nassir asserted.
The standoff comes amid growing public frustration, as residents of Mombasa continue to endure worsening infrastructure, with many roads rendered impassable after every heavy downpour.
