The nine lives of Balala: Is the writing on the wall for the CS?

The political future of Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala is anyone’s guess as formations take shape ahead of the August 9 General Election.

The former Mombasa mayor has been a politician of nine lives, having survived a series of misfortunes to remain on the top of the game even when the writing was on the wall.

The CS has opted out of elective politics to concentrate on his ministerial job but what remains hazy is his next course of action given the high stakes the Kenyatta succession race.

A cloud of uncertainty now hangs over his political career as his rivals in Coast politics have already taken prominent roles in Azimio la Umoja movement led by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Kenya Kwanza Alliance spearheaded by Deputy President William Ruto.

Mr Balala features prominently among political survivors who have held executive positions since President Kibaki’s administration in 2002. The CS told the Nation yesterday that he had opted to take a “sabbatical from elective politics”.

“Sometimes too much politics clouds your deliverables. And people don’t eat politics. Sometimes you have to pull back and reflect and wait for the next turn. I will serve my term to the end of President Kenyatta’s tenure,” said Mr Balala.

He’s, however, keeping his cards close to his chest, remaining cagey on which political formation he is supporting, but said he was keen on being part of the next administration.

“No one wants to be in the opposition. It’s cold there and even those who are keen on being elected know that. I have been in government since 1998 and I will be in the next one and serve in any position that is there for the good of all Kenyans,” the CS said.

It will be a profound test of his political mettle given his rise since the days he was the Mayor of Mombasa.

His longevity in national politics has always thrust him to the national limelight by landing top jobs in government.

After his election to Parliament to serve Mvita Constituency through the National Rainbow Coalition (Narc) in 2002, he was appointed the Gender, Sports and Culture Minister.

He would later be moved to National Heritage in the Office of the President in 2004 before being sacked as President Kibaki purged those who campaigned against the draft constitution in the 2005 referendum.

After the 2007 post-election violence, Mr Balala returned to the Cabinet in the tourism docket in the Government of National Unity, following a political deal between Mr Kibaki and Mr Odinga.

In 2012, Mr Balala teamed up with Mr Kenyatta, Mr Ruto and Ms Charity Ngilu to form the Jubilee summit.

He had formed his own party, the Republican Congress Party, which he used to vie for the Mombasa senatorial seat in the 2013 election, but lost to Wiper’s Omar Hassan.

He was later appointed the Cabinet Secretary for Mining. In 2017, he was retained in the Cabinet when President Kenyatta won a second term.

He is the only CS from the Coast and holds a key docket as the region's economic mainstay is tourism. Mr Balala understands the premium Mombasa places on national politics and appears to be keen on remaining in an influential position.

“I have been in my three most difficult years of my country’s service because of Covid-19. But we have made a huge rebound and the tourism sector is recovering. I don’t have to be elected to serve Kenyans,” he said.

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