East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) Member of Parliament Suleiman Shahbal has called for greater investment in Mombasa’s creative industry, championing the need for a film festival and cultural events that can showcase the city’s talent, draw more tourists, and promote positive stories about the coastal region.

Shahbal was speaking on Thursday evening during the premiere of the Kenyan crime drama Mizani by AR Films Production at the historic Fort Jesus in Mombasa.

The series, set and filmed in the coastal city, is set to premiere on Showmax on February 5, 2026, and tells the gripping story of a journalist caught in a web of crime, corruption, and family conflict in Mombasa.

Shahbal highlighted how creative arts and cultural events can help reposition Mombasa’s image beyond crime headlines.

“The creative industry is a very important industry,” he said. “If you go to any sophisticated city there is something unique a culture that improves the image of the city.”

Shahbal noted that neighboring regions already host globally recognized cultural festivals, pointing to the Zanzibar International Festival as an example of how arts and culture can draw visitors and celebrate local heritage.

“Just across here we have Zanzibar International Festival. We need to have Mombasa International Film Festival,” he said, adding that Mombasa “should be a city that hosts concerts” given the steady flow of visitors to the coast.

He emphasized that concerts and festivals would “spice up” the experience of both local residents and tourists, while also creating platforms for young talent to shine.

“This will also be one way of selling Mombasa and promoting the culture, talents and our youth,” Shahbal said.

The EALA MP also urged storytellers and the media to focus more on uplifting narratives about the city.

“When you want to promote yourself as a city it all boils down to us,” he said. “We need to tell positive stories of Mombasa through arts, not every time just stories on crime in the media.”

The screening of Mizani produced by AR Films and featuring a cast including Michael Saruni and Stephanie Maseki underscores the growing ambition of Kenyan storytellers to produce high-quality narratives rooted in local realities.