Born on September 20, 1967 Najib Balala is the current Cabinet Secretary for Tourism, and a former Member of Parliament for Mvita Constituency in Mombasa County.
Balala attended primary school, Serani Boys, which qualified him to Kakamega High, a national school.
He studied Business Administration and International Urban Management and Leadership from the University of Toronto and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.
Prior to venturing into Public life, Najib Balala was in the private sector in tourism business and eventually joined a family tea/coffee trade business.
He was Secretary of The Swahili Cultural Centre from 1993-1996.
Chairman of Coast Tourist Association between 1996–1999.
His tenure as the Mayor of Mombasa 1998-1999 witnessed a rapid transformation of Mombasa into an economic hub and drastic change in the affairs at Town Hall by team leading an anti-corruption crusade.
Chairman - Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Mombasa Chapter) from 2000-2003.
From December 27, 2002 to December 12, 2007: Member of Parliament for Mvita Constituency.
January 7, 2003 to June 31, 2004: Minister for Gender, Sports, Culture and Social Services.
January to June 2003: Acting Minister for Labour.
June 31 to November 21, 2005: Minister for National Heritage.
December 27, 2007 to January 15, 2013 : Member of Parliament for Mvita Constituency.
November 11, 2011 to March 2012: Chairman of the UNWTO Executive Council.
April 17, 2008 to March 26, 2012: Minister for Tourism