By EUGENE OMILO
Prominent
Mombasa lawyer Issa Timamy has today resigned as chairman of the National
Museums of Kenya and formally declared his gubernatorial bid for Lamu County in
the forthcoming general elections.
His
resignation is in line with provisions of the new constitution that require
public servants to vacate office at least six months before the election
date.
Mr.
Timamy has served at NMK’s board as chairman since 2004 where he has presided
over major milestones in the institution’s history including the listing of
various museums and heritage sites like Fort Jesus, Mombasa and Lamu Old Towns,
and the Kaya Forests into the UNESCO World Heritage List.
While
declaring his gubernatorial bid in a ceremony attended by scores of various
Coast politicians and scholars including former Heritage ministers Najib Balala
and Suleiman Shakombo, Nominated MP Shakilla Abdalla, Mombasa governor aspirants
Suleiman Shahbal and Ibrahim Khamis, Lamu Senator aspirant Hassan Albeity, Mrs.
Naima Badhawy, Prof Nabhan and a host of other aspirants for both lamu and
Mombasa counties, Mr. Timamy described his departure from NMK as the beginning
of a new journey that signifies renewal and change for the people of Lamu
County.
He
said he will initiate a multi sectoral approach to job creation as well as
develop policies to address the challenges facing the people of Lamu.
“To
the people of Lamu, I shall not shrink from this challenge and I shall not let
you down. The energy, the devotion and the determination which we shall bring
towards this goal will light our County and rejuvenate the hopes and aspirations
of our people,” said Mr. Timamy.
He
described Lamu as a county in dire straits which has suffered from mediocre
leadership that has had no vision leading to the despondency of its
people.
“Our
key sectors have been neglected, limiting the opportunities of our people yet
our county is endowed with enormous resources. Our people have lost hope, their
dignity and sense of direction,” he observed in his
speech.
He
said Lamu has instead gained the dubious reputation of being a drug den where
unemployment is rampant, poverty and inequality have increased, and land
grabbing has been perfected into an art.
Issa
Abdalla Issa Timamy,
53,
is a graduate of the University of Nairobi where he graduated with an honours
degree in law before being admitted as an advocate of the High Court of Kenya in
1984.
He
started his legal practice as a legal assistant at one of the country’s
prestigious law firms, Kaplan & Stratton Advocates in 1984 where he served
as a legal assistant up to 1988.
He
then took up an appointment to serve at Sameer Africa Group then known as
Firestone (EA) Ltd as Group Company Secretary, a position he held until 1996
when he established his own law firm, Timamy & Company Advocates in
Mombasa.
He
continued serving Sameer Group as Company Secretary until 2006 when he stepped
aside but remained as a Board Director.
Mr.
Timamy also sits on the boards of various companies including Sasini Limited,
Eveready (EA) Ltd and First Assurance Company amongst
others.
He
has contributed greatly towards various development initiatives in the larger
Coast region being a founder member of a number of scholarly, religious and
professional bodies including the Muslim Civil Education Trust (MCET) Mombasa
chapter, Citizen Forum Trust, Muslim Lawyers Association, Kenya Youth Business
Trust (Mombasa board) and Muslim Professionals Trust.
He
has also offered his time and experience for the benefit of the community
through serving in various educational and humanitarian organizations including
MEWA, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan secondary and technical school and
Sheikh Zayed Children Welfare Centre.
In
Lamu, he is the patron and adviser of the Lamu Education Foundation Trust and
patron of Stone Town academy, the best performing primary school in the
county.
Timamy
has promised to name a running mate from Mpeketoni and will be teaming up with
Hassan Albeity who is running for Lamu County Senator.
Many
leaders who spoke at the ceremony thought Timamy's entry into politics was long
overdue, expressing confidence that the Lamu governor's seat is, as of
now, already taken by Timamy...
Ends…
No comments:
Post a Comment