Ali is a first time Member of Parliament who clinched the seat under an independent ticket. Initially, he wanted to vie for the Nyali seat with an ODM ticket but lost the nominations.
The lawmaker is a former investigative journalist who worked at the Kenya Television Network (KTN).
He has been a close ally of Deputy President William Ruto and a fierce critique of Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho.
In February 2021, Ali walked in parliament with a gun tucked under his jacket, causing a scare in parliament. Asked to explain by Speaker Justin Muturi, Ali said that he had forgotten to surrender it to the sergeant at arms.