NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 30 – Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has decided to cut ties with Azimio La Umoja – One Kenya coalition party and officially joined the Kenya Kwanza Alliance political fold.
Sonko was officially received to the Kenya Kwanza team by Deputy President William Ruto at his offices based in Karen.
“We welcome Mike Sonko to Kenya Kwanza, the winning team,” Ruto wrote on his Facebook account.
This coming hours after Sonko declared that he will join forces with the UDA’s Mombasa gubernatorial candidate Hassan Omar to ensure he triumphs and defeat the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) candidate Abdulswamad Nassir.
At the same time, the embattled Mombasa gubernatorial hopeful filed a case to appeal the ruling by the High Court to reinstate the revocation of his candidature by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Mombasa returning officer Swalhah Yussuf.
In his appeal, Sonko has sued IEBC seeking stay orders of the revocation of his clearance and as well orders to halt the printing of ballots for the Mombasa gubernatorial race.
Sonko wants the hearing of the case fast-tracked as the High Court is set to go on vacation, which is set to begin on August 1.
The High Court dismissed the case by Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko to have the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati held in contempt for failing to clear him to vie for the governship seat despite a pending case in court.
The Mombasa High Court ruled that the Supreme Court ruling had found the Wiper party Mombasa gubernatorial hopeful lawfully unfit to hold public office.
“Judges noted that Supreme Court found Sonko CONSTITUTIONALLY UNFIT to ever hold any public office,” read the ruling.
Sonko moved to institute contempt proceedings against Chebukati and Mombasa returning officer Swalhah Yusuf for striking him off the Mombasa gubernatorial race.
Through his legal counsel, Sonko held that his candidature is still valid on the basis of Article 193(3) of the constitution and therefore the revocation by Mombasa returning officer Yusuf is untimely.
“With regard to the above we therefore wish to inform you that your revocation dated 18 July 2022 is illegal and void ab initio without directions of the High Court at Mombasa,” the court papers read.
According to Sonko he is still protected by the constitution and can vie for the Mombasa gubernatorial seat with a pending review in court.
“It is evidently clear that, Hon MIKE MBIVU SONKO is protected by the Constitution and until he exhausts all appeal mechanism he does not stand disqualified as you industriously wish to purport,” the court papers read.
The Former Nairobi Governor told the poll agency that until the review is heard and determined then the notice letter invalidating his candidature doesn’t hold water.
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