Mombasa's wealthy businessmen Abu Joho, Mohamed Jaffer locked in court battle over alleged smear campaign

A fierce rivalry between two Coast's prominent business moguls has erupted into a courtroom battle, as tycoon Abubakar Joho, popularly known as Abu, accuses a personal assistant to his longtime adversary, Mohamed Jaffer, of waging a malicious online smear campaign aimed at destroying his reputation and destabilising his family.

Abu, the elder brother of Mining Cabinet Secretary and former Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, told a Mombasa court that defamatory content circulated online by Jaffer's aide was part of a sustained vendetta linked to competition in the lucrative port logistics and fertiliser sectors, industries in which both men have invested heavily for decades.

Abu heads Autoport Container Freight Services Ltd, a logistics company specialising in cargo handling. He also deals in fertiliser and real estate, among other ventures.

His long-standing business nemesis, Jaffer, is an equally formidable player, with billions invested in port logistics. Jaffer owns Grain Bulk Handlers Ltd, a specialised terminal for handling bulk grain imports, and is the sole operator of mechanical bulk grain handling at the Port of Mombasa.

According to testimony presented in court, Abu attributes their decades-long feud to fierce competition over the port rail and fertiliser businesses.

Speaking before Resident Magistrate David Odhiambo, Abu claimed Jaffer was displeased with his entry into the port rail sector and fertiliser business, which had long been monopolised by Jaffer for three decades.

"Jaffer is my business rival, and he also deals in fertiliser just like me. We compete in port rail services and cargo handling. But this is not healthy competition-especially when it targets my family," Abu testified.

He further alleged that Jaffer's personal assistant, Matilda Kinzani, was used to tarnish his name by publishing defamatory content online.

"I was told there is a secretary called Matilda Kinzani, a Personal Assistant to Mohamed Jaffer, owner of Grain Bulk. The lady published statements on the internet that hurt my reputation and family. Jaffer is my business neighbor, and we always compete in business and not in a healthy way," said Abubakar.

Abu insisted the defamatory statements stemmed from his disruption of a decades-old monopoly in port rail logistics.

Kinzani has since been charged with four counts under the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act.

On May 23 2025, Abu told the court that Kinzani, allegedly acting on behalf of Jaffer, had branded him a drug dealer and land grabber.

"You cannot parade me on the internet and destroy my family's reputation simply because of business competition. Accusations that I hide drugs in rice, that I aided my brother to steal Sh40 billion while serving as governor, or that my company stole land are malicious and damaging," said Abu.

He added that the defamatory letter first came to his attention through his friend, Railways Managing Director Philip Kainga, who alerted him to its circulation online.

The statements, Abu said, were posted during the Gen-Z protests, further endangering his family's safety.

"For over 20 years, I've received such letters, all stemming from business rivalry. My family-especially my children-have suffered immensely from these damaging claims," he said.

"My daughter once asked, 'Daddy, are we eating halal food?' I told her yes, we are. She then asked, 'Why are people writing these things about us on the internet?'" Abu recounted emotionally.

Police investigations later traced the source of the defamatory letter to a personal assistant allegedly working for Jaffer.

Despite the accusations, Abu said he held no personal grudge against Kinzani and even knew her husband.

During cross-examination by Kinzani's lawyer, Michael Oloo, Abu reiterated that she had authored similar defamatory messages in the past, although he admitted he had no direct evidence. Nonetheless, he concluded, "I have no problem with her. If I saw her today, I would hug her."