CoG Chairperson Wycliffe Oparanya (pictured), in a statement to newsrooms, said the council was monitoring the developing situation cognizant of the fact that Nairobi County does not have a Deputy Governor/FILE/CFM – MOSES MUOKI
NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 8 – The Council of Governors is seeking an emergency summit chaired by President Uhuru Kenyatta to address the leadership crisis in Nairobi following Governor Mike Sonko’s arrest on graft charges.
CoG Chairperson Wycliffe Oparanya, in a statement to newsrooms, said the council was monitoring the developing situation cognizant of the fact that Nairobi County does not have a Deputy Governor who would take over on an acting capacity in the event Sonko is barred from office.
“Following the arrest and detention of H.E. Mike Mbuvi Sonko the Council of Governors is monitoring and consulting widely on the unfolding situation,” the statement dispatched Sunday afternoon read.
“We are however aware of the uniqueness of the County Government and therefore we shall reach out to H.E. The President to convene an emergency Summit to address the evolving situation.”
Sonko was arrested on Friday on Director of Public Prosecution Noordin Haji’s orders.
He will face six fraud-related charges over the embezzlement of Sh357.4 million in fictitious tendering processes on Monday.
The county chief who is spending the weekend in police custody following his arrest on Friday will also be charged with assault over a scuffle with the police during his arrest in Voi, Taita Taveta County.
Sonko and eight other City Hall official are set to be charged on Monday before a Nairobi anti-corruption magistrate court with six graft-related offences among them conspiracy to commit an offence of corruption, abuse of office and acquisition of proceeds of crime.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) had already arrested former County Secretary Peter Kariuki and former procurement head Patrick Mwangangi by the end of the day on Friday.
Thirteen other suspects including tender committee members and director of firms awarded questionable contracts were still being sought, the agency said.
Haji cited the officials for conflict of interest having, “facilitated and/or benefitted from the irregular procurement and payments amounting to Sh357, 390,299 million.”
Following his directive on Friday, Sonko was flown to Wilson Airport Friday afternoon following a dramatic arrest in Voi where EACC detectives caught up with him while he was reportedly on the run.
Sonko (pictured) arrived at EACC headquarters in Nairobi in handcuffs and under heavy security amid reports of a possible outbreak of protests by his supporters/COURTESY
A video shared widely online showed the county chief resisting arrest following police officers to handcuff him before forcing him into a police helicopter at the Ikanga airstrip in Taita Taveta.
EACC confirmed Sonko’s attempted escape despite the first-time Governor refuting claims that he resisted arrest in a statement shared by his office Friday afternoon.
“EACC confirms that Nairobi City County Governor Mike Sonko Mbuvi has been arrested while escaping arrest at a roadblock in Voi and is being transferred to Nairobi to face charges of corruption and economic crime,” the anti-graft agency tweeted.
Haji told journalists that he had enough evidence to warrant the prosecution of the county chief after reviewing a file handed to him by the EACC.
Sonko arrived at EACC headquarters in Nairobi in handcuffs and under heavy security amid reports of a possible outbreak of protests by his supporters.
He said, in a statement dispatched by his office, he was ready to defend himself in court while also urging his supporters to remain calm.
