UDA Secretary General Hassan Omar Sarai has dismissed claims that President William Ruto directed businessman Suleiman Shahbal not to contest for the Mombasa Gubernatorial seat in the 2027 General Election.
During a consultative meeting with Bunge la Wananchi leaders from Mombasa, Sarai said Ruto has not told any politician to abandon their political ambitions, arguing that the President has instead been advising individuals to pursue areas where they have greater strength.
“There is no time or place where President William Ruto has told anyone not to contest any seat,” Sarai said.
Sarai also recounted his own experience, saying Ruto advised him to pursue opportunities in the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) after he failed to secure the governorship.
“When I failed to make it on the gubernatorial side, he told me that I liked Pan-Africanism and integration and asked why I did not explore whether an opportunity existed in EALA in Arusha. I went there,” he said.
According to Sarai, Ruto later encouraged him to use his experience in governance and institution-building to help structure and organise the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
“He told me that I was someone who liked governance, creating systems, creating institutions, institution-building and management, and asked why I did not come and help structure and organise the UDA party. That is what I did,” he said.
Sarai said the same principle applied to businessman Suleiman Shahbal, whom he said Ruto advised to concentrate on business rather than government.
“He simply advised Shahbal that he is a businessman. Business is different from government. He should remain in business. He did not tell him not to contest,” Sarai said.
He urged politicians and the media not to attribute statements to Ruto that he had not made.
“Let us not put words in the President’s mouth. The President has not told anyone not to run for any seat,” Sarai said.
Sarai said political advice from the President should be viewed as guidance that individuals are free to accept or reject.
“If you decide to leave it, continue with your activities. But you are putting the President in a difficult position, especially with the media trying to twist these things,” he said.
Sarai said Ruto’s advice to politicians was based on deploying people according to their strengths rather than preventing them from seeking elective positions.
“The President has simply asked people to deploy themselves relative to their strength,” he said.