Written By John Mutiso 📝
A petition has been filed in court to bar former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko from contesting in the Mombasa gubernatorial race in the upcoming August General Election.
The petitioners, Ndoro Kayuga and George Odhiambo, argue that Sonko is disqualified from vying and being elected into the office of Mombasa governor or holding public office after he was impeached.
“The 1st Respondent, having been impeached and removed from the office of the Governor of Nairobi City County, is disqualified from vying for and being elected into the office of the Governor of Mombasa County and from holding any other State office by virtue of Article 75 (3) of the Constitution,” reads the petition.
They also opined that Sonko’s nomination by the Wiper party and his acceptance of the nomination, despite being disqualified constitutionally violates their constitutional rights to free and fair elections.
“The 1st Respondent and the 1st Respondent’s decision to accept the nomination despite being disqualified by the Constitution is in violation of the Petitioners’ constitutional rights to free, fair and regular elections as guaranteed by Article 38 (2) of the Constitution,” the petition read in part.
The petitioners want the court to issue orders barring IEBC from clearing Sonko to contest in the upcoming elections.
They also claim that if Sonko is barred from running in the upcoming elections in Mombasa, he will suffer no prejudice.
The Nairobi County Assembly impeached the former county boss in December 2020. The impeachment was based on allegations of gross misbehavior and abuse of power.
Almost 16 months later, Sonko rekindled his political ambitions when Wiper gave him a direct ticket to run for Mombasa governor in a brief ceremony presided over bythe party leader Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka and other Wiper party leaders.
In the race for Mombasa’s top job, he will face former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar on a UDA ticket as well as Mvita MP Abdulswamad Sharif Nassir on an ODM ticket.
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