Nearly 3 years into his first term, Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir is under the spotlight for an education record that senators say leaves most young people behind.
Only one in every five Form Four leavers from the coastal county secures a place in university or college, according to figures tabled before the Senate Education Committee. Alarmed, the committee has handed the governor a seven-day deadline to explain, in writing, how his administration intends to turn those numbers around—and where every shilling is going.
Committee chair Senator Betty Montat told reporters the focus is on the county’s vocational training centres. “We need evidence that the funds allocated actually translate into skills our youth can sell in the job market,” she said.
Governor Nassir, appearing before the panel, pointed to his flagship Skills Mitani programme. The initiative, he said, offers hands-on courses paired with financial-literacy sessions and starter toolkits once trainees qualify. The aim is to push graduates straight into self-employment rather than have them queue for dwindling white-collar positions.
Senators welcomed the concept but want proof it delivers. They have asked for:
- a budget breakdown for each training centre;
- completion and job-placement rates;
- an audit of tool-kit distribution.
The committee’s in-person inspection does not end in Mombasa. Next stop is neighbouring Kilifi, part of a wider push to see how coastal counties manage education cash and whether tactics can be replicated—or scrapped.
Privately, some members concede Nassir inherited stalled projects and patchy records from the previous administration; nevertheless, they insist fresh leadership must show quick wins.
For parents in Changamwe and Likoni—where unemployment bites hardest—senators’ impatience is welcome news. They want to know whether the county will keep producing drop-outs or finally equip teenagers with skills worth paying for.
“Public money must create opportunities, not statistics,” Senator Montat said as she banged the gavel to close the session. The governor’s report is due back in the Senate on 30 April 2025—and so is the committee’s verdict on whether Skills Mitani is promise or puff.
