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Sonko signals he could run in Nairobi by-election

 

Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has sought clearance from state agencies, triggering speculations he could run in the upcoming  by-election.

The High Court issued a temporary injunction barring the electoral Commission from conducting the February 18 by-election.

Sonko has applied for clearance certificates from the Directorate of Criminal Investigation, the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission and the Kenya Revenue Authority. He has also sought clearance from the Higher Education Loans Board.

According to documents obtained by the Star, DCI George Kinoti has, however, imposed a disclaimer on Sonko's clearance certificate, throwing his hopes into disarray.

In the certificate signed by P.M Onyango for the DCI boss, Sonko has corruption and abuse of office outstanding offences.

The remarks on the ex-governor's record could complicate his bid for clearance when he will present his nomination papers to the IEBC next week.

Sonko is also seeking clearance from the EACC, which took him to court in a Sh357 million graft case. He has filed a personal declaration form with the commission dated December 24, 2020, as part of the requirements to get clearance from the anti-graft body.

Sonko attached a tax compliance certificate from the Kenya Revenue Authority dated January 15, 2020, and which is valid until January 14, 2021.

The law requires that candidates seeking election must be cleared by the EACC, the DCI, KRA, Helb and other state agencies before the IEBC accepts nomination papers.

The IEBC has gazetted independent candidates and aspirants seeking party tickets for the high-stakes by-election even as a litany of legal hurdles pose a challenge for the by-election.

In a fresh twist to the political crisis in Nairobi, Sonko yesterday sought to block Kananu from being vetted and approved as the deputy governor by the county assembly.

However, his petition was time-barred after the court withdrew a petition by a Nairobi voter Peter Agoro challenging the nomination of Kananu.

Mike sonko represented by lawyer Harrison Kinyanjui had opposed the withdrawal of the case and filed a cross-petition.

Justice Hedwig Ong'undi declined to admit the petition and challenged dissatisfied parties to file an appeal.

This means that Kananu's path to the county's top job is clear after Agoro's petition was withdrawn.

In the petition, the ex-governor had averred that he withdrew Kananu's nomination following what he termed as “pressure from the first family”.

Sonko had attached audio clips and transcripts of his conversation with a member of the first family whom he argues had proposed a different nominee.

According to the documents the alleged member of the first family had suggested the name of Jane Weru instead of Kananu's as the county's deputy governor.

In the new case, the former governor through lawyer Harrison Kinyanjui has listed Weru and a member of the first family as interested parties. Kananu, Mutura and clerk of the assembly are listed as respondents.

Following the alleged intervention, Sonko says he on December 7, 2020, before his impeachment by Senate, cancelled Kananu's nomination in a letter to speaker Benson Mutura.

The assembly impeached him on December 3, 2020, while the Senate upheld his dismissal on December 17.

“It's for these reasons that I formally withdraw the nomination of Ms Anne Kananu Mwenda pending the determination of the said matter and to enable me to consult Jubilee leadership and Nairobi county Assembly for a suitable replacement,” Sonko's letter received on the same date states.

Sonko has also attached another conversation with Kananu where he allegedly informed her of the decision to withdraw her nomination.

The former county chief has already obtained temporary orders stopping the February 18th by-election, pending the hearing and determination of a case challenging his impeachment.

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