{{Short description|CS for Mining and Blue Economy}} {{Use British English|date=January 2023}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Hassan Ali Joho | honorific_suffix = | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | order = | office = Cabinet Secretary, Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs | term_start = 24 July 2024 | term_end = | president = William Ruto | predecessor = Salim Mvurya | successor = | office1 = Governor of Mombasa County | deputy1 = Hazel Nyamoki Katana | term_start1 = 27 March 2013 | term_end1 = 15 September 2022 | predecessor1 = ''Position established'' | successor1 = Abdullswamad Sherrif Nassir | office2 = National Assembly of Kenya | term_start2 = 15 January 2008 | term_end2 = 26 March 2013 | predecessor2 = {{nobr|Ananiah Mwasambu Mwaboza}} | successor2 = Rashid Bezimba | constituency2 = Kisauni | birth_place = Kisauni, Mombasa, Kenya | birth_name = Hassan Ali Joho | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1973|2|26}} | party = Orange Democratic Movement | other_party = | relations = | alma_mater = {{ubl|Kampala University|Gretsa University}} | profession = | portfolio = | father = Mzee Ali Joho | mother = Ummu Kulthum | signature = | signature_alt = | website = | footnotes = | blank1 = | data1 = | education = {{ubl|BSc Business Administration and Management|BSc Commerce}} | spouse = Madina Hassan Joho | children = 4 }} Ali '''Hassan Joho''' (born 26 February 1973) 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).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Digital |first=Standard |title=Ali Hassan Joho, the 'garbage collector' who became governor |url=https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/entertainment/county-nairobi/article/2001230692/ali-hassan-joho-the-garbage-collector-who-became-governor |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=Standard Entertainment |language=en}}</ref>
He was also elected to represent the Kisauni Constituency in the National Assembly of Kenya during the 2007 Kenyan parliamentary election.<ref>[http://www.bunge.go.ke/members.php Members Of The 10th Parliament] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080616160507/http://www.bunge.go.ke/members.php |date=16 June 2008}}. Parliament of Kenya. Accessed 19 June 2008.</ref> On 4 March 2013, during the general election, Joho was elected as the first governor of Mombasa County.<ref>[http://www.mombasagovernment.com/new/index.php/about-us/governorship Mombasa Governorship] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006131327/http://www.mombasagovernment.com/new/index.php/about-us/governorship |date=6 October 2014}}. Mombasa Country Government. Accessed 1 October 2013</ref> In the 2017 General Elections held on 8 August, Joho retained his seat on an ODM ticket,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Joho issued governor certificate after Marwa protests to IEBC |url=https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2017-08-12-joho-issued-governor-certificate-after-marwa-protests-to-iebc/ |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=The Star |language=en-KE}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-30 |title=Abdulswamad Nassir declared Mombasa Governor-elect |url=https://www.citizen.digital/news/abdulswamad-nassir-declared-mombasa-governor-elect-n304733 |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=Citizen Digital |language=en-KE}}</ref>
==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.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.hassanjoho.com/index.php/meet |title=Meet Joho |access-date=5 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130910105827/http://hassanjoho.com/index.php/meet |archive-date=10 September 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
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."<ref>{{cite news|title=Kenya's dirty war: Suspected jihadists are being killed in droves on Kenya's coast|url=https://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21717062-quiescent-and-dead-suspected-jihadists-are-being-killed-droves|access-date=23 February 2017|newspaper=The Economist|date=18 February 2017}}</ref> Joho is viewed as the political kingpin of the coastal region of Kenya.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Joho Reveals Private Details on His Life|url=https://www.kenyans.co.ke/news/17800-hassan-joho-narrates-his-childhood-life|last=Kejitan|first=Vincent|website=Kenyans.co.ke|date=21 August 2018|language=EN|access-date=2020-05-24}}</ref>
==== 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.<ref>Shahbal alleges rigging as he files petition against Joho win. Daily Nation [http://www.nation.co.ke/News/politics/Shahbal-seeks-repeat-polls-in-governor-race/-/1064/1719664/-/10cws0gz/-/index.html]</ref> He later went to court to block Joho's swearing in. {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! 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;<ref>Joho’s cabinet adopted by the Mombasa County Assembly. acc date 5 June 2013 [http://ommydallah.com/?p=670] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713123243/http://ommydallah.com/?p=670|date=13 July 2015}}</ref> * 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<ref>{{cite news |last1=MAKONG |first1=BRUHAN |title=President Ruto nominates Joho Mining and Blue Economy CS |url=https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2024/07/president-ruto-nominates-joho-mining-and-blue-economy-cs/ |work=Capital News |date=24 July 2024}}</ref>
==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.<ref>{{cite news |last1=WANAMBISI |first1=LABAN |title=Saitoti names suspected drug barons |url=https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2010/12/saitoti-names-suspected-drug-barons/ |work=Capital News |date=22 December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Saitoti names MPs linked to narcotics trade |url=https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/business/mobile/article/2000025330/saitoti-names-mps-linked-to-narcotics-trade |work=The Standard |language=en}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news |title=Four MPs named over drugs probe |url=https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/news/east-africa/four-mps-named-over-drugs-probe-1301416 |work=The EastAfrican |date=9 August 2020 |language=en}}</ref> In February 2019 Joho asked Interpol to clarify that he was on the list of most wanted drug barons.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Hassan Joho wants Interpol to clarify on drugs list | url=https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001311880/hassan-joho-wants-interpol-to-clarify-on-drugs-list | work=The Standard | date=4 Feb 2019 }}</ref> He has occasionally affirmed that he deals in clean, transparent, and auditable businesses and claims to have been exonerated after thorough investigations.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2024/08/im-not-a-drug-trafficker-i-do-clean-business-joho/ | title=I'm not a drug trafficker, I do clean business: Joho | work=Capital FM | access-date=14 Oct 2025 }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
<br />{{County Governors of Kenya}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Joho, Hassan Ali}} Category:County governors of Kenya Category:Orange Democratic Movement politicians Category:Members of the National Assembly (Kenya) Category:People from Mombasa Category:Living people Category:1976 births