Businessman Suleiman Shahbal who is challenging Governor Hassan Joho for the Mombasa Governor seat. Photo/the-star.co.ke
Renowned Mombasa businessman Suleiman Shahbal has resigned from the Gulf African Bank's board to contest for the Mombasa governor seat in the August 8 election.The soft-spoken businessman has been endorsed by President Uhuru Kenyatta's Jubilee Party to vie for the seat he lost to Governor Hassan Joho in 2013.He said quiting the board would give him ample time to concentrate on his campaigns.“I didn't want to mix politics and banking,” he told the journalists on Tuesday.“That's why I decided to leave the board so that I could contest for the Mombasa gubernatorial seat,” he added.He said as the Islamic bank's board member, he had helped turn around the financial institution.“When we launched the bank in 2008, it was number 42, but due to prudent management, we lifted the bank to number 21,” he added at a press conference at Fort restaurant in Mombasa.Thee governor hopeful said the bank currently has 17 branches in the country, over 70,000 customers and assets worth Sh27 billion.He expressed confidence he will be handed the Jubilee certificate after the conclusion of the party's primary elections on April 21.