NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 16 – Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko has denied accusations by the Nairobi County Assembly which impeached him.
Sonko who was appearing before the Senate for his impeachment hearing said the impeachment was part of a witch-hunt executed against him.
“What is masked as an impeachment process, is a witch-hunt, because His Excellency the Governor has insisted at being a stickler to the law, just as he has appeared before you. They received the preliminary objection, they know they never filed any evidence, they filed nothing before the Assembly and nothing was filed before you (The Senate) on December 4,” he said.
Through his lawyer Harrison Kinyanjui, Sonko accused the Assembly of allowing to be incited by external forces whose aim was to derail development in the county.
The embattled city boss was accompanied to the Senate Special Sitting on Wednesday by 57 MCAs who claimed the assembly staff illegally cast votes on their behalf.
The censure motion was moved by Nairobi County Assembly Minority Leader Michael Ogada who cited among others abuse of office, gross misconduct, and lack of physical and mental capacity to run county affairs as well as refusal to sign for funds allocated to Nairobi Metropolitan Services.
The embattled Governor added that the Senate should not entertain the impeachment process as it is still pending in the High Court.
Sonko further faulted the County Assembly for failing to adhere to its own rules after it went on to consider the impeachment in violation of a court order.
“His Excellency, The Governor, is saying that he has been subjected to an unfair process, that which violates Article 47(1) of our Constitution can never be validated retrospectively, introspectively or otherwise howsoever, it cannot, it is dead on arrival,” Kinyanjui added.
Sonko’s counsel said the Senate it would be sub judice for the Senate to consider the allegation that Governor Sonko failed to facilitate National Metropolitan Services with data on ongoing projects, pending bills and staff pay roll details has greatly derailed the performance of these functions to the detriment of the public good.
He said the matter was still alive before the Courts of law.
Lawyers Fred Nyamu and Evans Ondieki called on the Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka to rule on objections they raised on a preliminary basis that certain requirements precedent to the impeachment were not made.
