Sonko Threatens to Support UDA’s Hassan Omar in Mombasa Governor Race

Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has threatened to support UDA candidate Hassan Omar after he was disqualified from the Mombasa gubernatorial race on grounds of impeachment.

Sonko says he will back Omar if the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) does not clear his running mate Kisauni MP Ali Mbogo to vie for the seat in the August 9th general elections.

The former governor said he would rather ditch Kalonzo Musyoka-led Wiper party, which is under the Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya coalition, rather than support ODM candidate Abdulswamad Nassir, who he termed a State project. Before he was barred from vying, Sonko had handpicked Mbogo to be his running mate.

“I was cleared alongside my Deputy Governor Ali Mbogo. The impeachment was for Sonko not for Mbogo. We are pleading with IEBC and the government to clear Ali Mbogo to vie as governor,” said Sonko.

“If they fail we are not going to support a puppet we will support Hassan Omar and UDA instead of supporting a puppet and a project.”

IEBC revoked the clearance of Sonko to vie for the Mombasa gubernatorial seat after the Supreme Court dismissed his appeal challenging his impeachment as Nairobi governor, declaring that he was fairly removed from office.

While dismissing Sonko’s appeal, the apex court ruled that the impeachment proceedings against him before the County Assembly and the Senate were properly conducted in accordance with Article 181 of the Constitution, Section 33 of the County Governments Act and Standing Orders of the County Assembly and the Senate.

Article 75(3) of the Constitution states that “a person who is removed from office on contravention of Chapter 6 of the Constitution is disqualified from holding any other State or public office whether elective or appointive.”

Sonko was impeached in December 2020 by the Nairobi County Assembly and the Senate on grounds of gross violation of the constitution, abuse of office, misconduct, and crimes against national law.

The former governor has since moved to the East African Court of Justice to challenge the Supreme Court ruling.

On Thursday, the High Court threw out a petition he filed seeking to compel IEBC to include his name in the Mombasa governor contest on grounds that he still has an active appeal case at the East Africa Court of Justice.