Hassan Ali Joho

Ali Hassan Joho (born 26 February 1976) is a Kenyan politician who is the Cabinet Secretary for Mining and Blue Economy in the Republic of Kenya. He is the former Governor of Mombasa County, affiliated with the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).

He was also elected to represent the Kisauni Constituency in the National Assembly of Kenya during the 2007 Kenyan parliamentary election. On 4 March 2013, during the general election, Joho was elected as the first governor of Mombasa County. In the 2017 General Elections held on 8 August, Joho retained his seat on an ODM ticket, Despite significant politically engineered setbacks. He emerged triumphant by winning with 220,576 votes against his closest rival, Suleiman Shahbal, with 69,322 votes, a member of the Jubilee Party. Joho served as governor of Mombasa until 2022, when he completed the constitutionally allowed two five-year terms. He was succeeded by Abdulswammad Sherrif Nassir the former member of the National Assembly for Mvita Constituency.

Career Business He is a businessman with real estate holdings in Mombasa.

Politics Parliament Joho joined active politics in the year 2004 and became the Kisauni party chairman for the Liberal Democratic Party between 2006 and 2007. It was not until the 2007 General Election that he was overwhelmingly elected as the Kisauni parliamentary member through the ODM party in 2007. He was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Kisauni constituency and the Assistant Minister for Transport. On 4 March 2013, he was elected as Governor of Mombasa.

According to The Economist, "He is close to Raila Odinga, Kenya’s main opposition leader, and is said to be financing Mr. Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement party." Joho is viewed as the political kingpin of the coastal region of Kenya.

Mombasa Governor Joho campaigned to be elected as the first governor of Mombasa during the election held on 4 March 2013. He emerged as the winner and was sworn in as governor on 27 March.

He won by 132,583 votes, his closest rival, Mr. Shahbal, was second with 94,905 votes. Shahbal went to court alleging rigging, but his petition was denied. He later went to court to block Joho's swearing in. Candidate Party Votes Abdalla Hemed Mwaruwa TNA 17,335 Anderson Chibule Watsuma KADU Asili 2,258 Hassan Ali Joho ODM 132,583 Ibrahim Khamisi Athman RC 10,124 Lawrence Kamau Macharia PDU 1,064 Mutuku Isaac Malila ND 1,368 Suleiman Said Saleh Shahbal WDM K 94,905 Tendai Lewa Mtana IND 9,045 Rejected Vote 2,081 Total Cast Vote 270,763

In his first term, Joho named his first cabinet which included; Joab Tumbo - Health services, Anthony Njaramba - Tourism and Culture Development, Mohammed Abbas - Transport and Infrastructure, Binty Omar - Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Walid Khalid - Finance and Economic Planning, Tendai Mtana - Education and Children, Mohammed Ibrahim - Trade and Energy, Hazel Koitaba - Youth, Gender and Sports, Fatma Awale - Water, Environment & Natural Resources, Francis Thoya - Lands, Planning & Housing

The second term in office saw changes in key cabinet positions while the majority of his allies were sidelined for other duties within his government. The Deputy Governor, Hon. William Kingi, joined the newly formed administration, and his capacity widened to take charge of the Education, ICT & Mombasa Vision 2035 portfolio. Joho's manifesto stipulated the tasks he intended to achieve in his governorship. These include fishing, tourism, manufacturing, health and sanitation, solid waste management, roads and housing.

The Second term cabinet included:

Maryam Abdillahi - Finance & Economic Planning, Tawfiq Balala - Transport & Infrastructure Fawz Rashid - Trade, Tourism & Investment Hazel Koitaba - Health Munywoki Kyalo - Youth, Gender & Sports Dr. Godfrey Nato - Environment, Waste Management & Energy Fatma Awale - Water & Sanitation Edward Nyale - Lands, Physical Planning & Housing Hassan Mwamtoa - Agriculture, Livestock & Fisheries Mtalaki Mwashimba - County Attorney Joab Tumbo - Chief of Staff Hon.Rashid Bedzimba - Political Advisor Binty Omar - Water & Climate change Advisor Hamisi Mwaguya - Advisor Dr. Nyangasi Oduwo - Economic Advisor

Cabinet On 24 July 2024, he was appointed Cabinet secretary for Mining, blue economy, and maritime affairs

Controversy

Drug Trafficking In December 2010, George Saitoti then internal security minister in the Kibaki Administration named Joho as a drug baron in Kenya based on a US dossier received from the US embassy in Nairobi. Saitoti presented the dossier to parliament and appealed to the house to give him two months to complete investigations into the allegations of drug trafficking by Joho as Kisauni Member of Parliament. Raila Odinga was also reported to have received the dossier from the then US envoy to Kenya, Michael Ranneberger. In February 2019 Joho asked Interpol to clarify that he was on the list of most wanted drug barons. He has occasionally affirmed that he deals in clean, transparent, and auditable businesses and claims to have been exonerated after thorough investigations.