By Peter John

Nyali Member of Parliament Mohammed Ali has accused the Mombasa County government of stifling civic engagement after three billboards promoting voter registration were allegedly pulled down under intimidation.

In a statement issued Tuesday, Ali said the billboards were removed on the night of April 6 from Buxton, Ferry and Kibarani areas in Mombasa. He maintained that the adverts, which carried a message encouraging residents to register as voters, had been legally installed through licensed advertising firms.

According to the MP, the removal followed threats directed at advertising operators. He added that similar warnings had also been issued to digital screen owners, cautioning them against airing an animated version of the same message.

Ali alleged that the pressure originated from within the county administration led by Governor Abdulswamad Sharrif Nassir.

The billboards bore the message: “Utawala Bora sio zawadi. Ni haki yako. Chukua kura tujikomboe,” which he described as purely civic in nature.

“This is a civic message encouraging voter registration—nothing more, nothing less,” he said.

He condemned the move as an abuse of power and a violation of constitutional rights, arguing that it undermines efforts to boost voter awareness in the coastal region.

“The pulling down of billboards with such civic messaging is an outright abuse of power and the suppression of civic space,” he said, citing Article 33 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression.

Ali further claimed the actions point to a broader attempt to keep voter registration levels low in the region, while also intimidating private businesses.

“For so long, Mombasa has been run by people who treat the county like a personal affair, dictating how private entities operate and how ordinary citizens live,” he added.

He framed the incident as a wider battle over democratic space, insisting the issue goes beyond the billboards themselves.

“The real issue is not the billboard, but the message,” he said, noting that it reminds residents that leadership is a right, not a privilege, and that citizens must reclaim their voice through voting.

Ali has called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to urgently investigate the matter and intervene, terming it interference with legitimate voter awareness efforts.

He also urged Mombasa residents to remain vigilant, stressing that the issue is about protecting the public’s right to freely choose their leaders.