Mombasa businessman and politician Suleiman Shahbal has for the first time publicly confirmed he will be seeking to succeed Hassan Joho as Mombasa Governor in 2022.

Addressing members of the press at Sparki Primary School after launching his education website where KCPE and KCSE students can access past papers, Shahbal maintained that he is still a member of the Jubilee party defending his closeness with ODM party leader Raila Odinga and Governor Hassan Joho who is also the party (ODM) deputy party leader.

''It is too early at the moment to talk about succession politics with two and half years to go before the 2022 general election but be sure I'm in the race with the of God and people of Mombasa" said Shahbal.

Shahbal's closeness with Joho has raised eyebrows with some quarters suggesting that he is Joho's preferred successor an issue that he quickly refuted.

“Can you believe that in all our meetings, we have never discussed politics" argued Shahbal.

He however noted that this is not time for politics saying he is busy helping the county government fight the coronavirus.

This will be the third time that Shahbal will be going for the seat after doing so in in 2013 and 2017.

Others who are also said to be interested in succeeding Joho are Kisauni Mp Ali Mbogo and his Mvita counterpart Abdulswamad Nassir.