Sonko Fights Off Attempts to Block His Mombasa Governor’s Bid

Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has vowed to continue campaigning despite attempts to block his Mombasa gubernatorial bid in the August 9th elections.

Sonko hit out at Chief Justice Martha Koome and Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji over their recent declarations that impeached and convicted leaders are barred from holding public offices unless their names are cleared by the court.

But Sonko, who was impeached as Nairobi governor in December 2020 over abuse of office, violation of the constitution, and gross misconduct, insists that the Kenyan Constitution does not explicitly state that persons with pending court cases are not eligible to hold public offices.

“For you to vie the court has to set aside your impeachment but the Constitution says that a person is not disqualified unless all possibilities of appeal or review of the relevant sentence or decision has been exhausted. Mine is a decision; it is an impeachment. My abuse of office case is yet to be determined by the Anti-Corruption Court in Nairobi,” Sonko told journalists at a hotel in Kilifi on Saturday.

He added: “I want Koome to show us where it states in the Constitution that the sentence has to be set aside first. I will continue campaigning. This thing is not about Sonko; it is about bringing change to Mombasa.”

Sonko also told off critics who claim that he cannot vie in Mombasa because he is not a native, stating that he has invested heavily in the coastal city and the region.

“When I came here looking to change the livelihoods of Mombasa residents they started a lot of propaganda. They started saying that I am a bad person and I am not a native. What non-native would make investments in Kilifi, Mombasa, and Kwale and also employ indigenous people from the Coast,” he added.