Mike Sonko, a Mombasa gubernatorial aspirant, has been dealt a major blow after the county’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) returning officer refused to clear him.
The electoral body has cited lack of a certified, Degree Certificate, his impeachment while serving as Nairobi Governor and lack of an EACC clearance form as grounds for denying Sonko the go ahead to vie.
Swalha Ibrahim, the Mombasa County IEBC Returning Officer, stated from the Kenya School of Government (KSG) that she had not received court orders allowing the former Nairobi Governor to run for office.
Sonko’s candidature was rejected on Saturday by IEBC Chair Wafula Chebukati on the grounds that he was unfit to hold public office following his impeachment for abuse of office.
However, Sonko obtained orders from the High Court suspending the IEBC from disqualifying him.
“A person is not disqualified under clause (2) unless all possibility of appeal or review of the relevant sentence or decision has been exhausted,” Sonko said in court documents as he quoted Articles 99 (3) and 193(3) of the constitution.
