HOW IGATHE SAVED MIKE SONKO’S POLITICAL CAREER

Former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko is back in the political ring in what is believed to be a deal brokered between himself and the Azimio la Umoja top leadership.

K24 has established that the deal was sealed shortly after the Monday, July 11, gubernatorial debate between Nairobi County’s top contenders Polycarp Igathe and Johnson Sakaja.

Reports indicate that Azimio leaders contacted the former governor seeking his help in popularising Igathe’s candidature in Nairobi after his performance during the face-off.

Sonko, however, made his own demands during the negotiations and sought support to launch his own gubernatorial bid in Mombasa County.

“The deal that was struck was that Sonko must deliver Nairobi for Azimio coalition and in return, he will be given a fair chance to vie for the governorship in Mombasa where he equally enjoys a huge following,” a source told the Standard.

Soon after, Sonko was spotted with President Uhuru Kenyatta during a tour in Ruai where the latter was scheduled to dish out title deeds.

The two leaders were accompanied with Embakasi East MP Babu Owino as well as his somewhat frenemy Mohammed Badi, the head of the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS).

“Politics has no permanent enemies. Sonko’s issue was with President Uhuru and from the way they were interacting, I can tell that there is no longer an issue and that Sonko will campaign for Azimio in Nairobi,” Owino stated at the event.

Since then, the former Governor has rubbed shoulders with former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who is Azimio la Umoja Presidential contender as well as his running mate Martha Karua.

Sonko’s pursuit was also boosted by a ruling from the High Court that directed the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to clear him to run for the Mombasa gubernatorial seat.

The court on Wednesday, July 13, 2022, ruled that IEBC was unreasonable for refusing to accept certified copies of Sonko’s academic papers outside the stipulated timeline.

The three-Judge bench of justices O.A. Sewe, S. Githinji and Lady Justice Ong’injo ruled that Sonko had met all the requirements set by the IEBC to contest for the Mombasa top seat.

In an interview with the press on Wednesday, July 14, IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati noted that the Commission had no choice but to comply with the High Court directive. 

By kenyans