SOUTH FULTON, GA — Mayor Khalid Kamau, also known as Mayor Kobi, announced during a city council meeting Tuesday night that he will not seek re-election, saying his upcoming State of the City address on May 1 will serve as his farewell to residents.

Kamau, who has served as mayor since 2022, said he plans to finish out his current term with a reduced schedule. He cited financial hardships as the driving reason behind his decision not to run again, highlighting the city charter’s classification of the mayor’s role as part-time, with a $40,000 salary.

“To keep this promise of doing this job full-time and this job only, I have sold my mother’s house, I’ve been on food stamps, and turned down some pretty good job offers,” Kamau told council members.

While Kamau did not address ongoing investigations into alleged misuse of city funds, questions surrounding his spending have followed him during his term.

The race to replace him is already underway. Former Mayor Bill Edwards and current City Councilwoman Carmalitha Gumbs have both announced their candidacies for the November 4 election.

Kamau’s State of the City remarks next week are expected to reflect on his tenure and mark the close of a turbulent chapter in South Fulton leadership.

WSBs Ashley Simmons contributed to this story