Petitioners seek orders to block Sonko’s Mombasa Gubernatorial bid

A petition seeking to bar former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko from contesting in the Mombasa gubernatorial election has been filed in the High Court.

The petitioners want the Court to bar the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission from declaring or publishing Sonko in the Kenya gazette as a candidate until a petition challenging his suitability is heard and determined.

In an application the petitioners say the Wiper Democratic Movement party is expected to forward Sonko’s name to IEBC on the 28th May 2022 as the party’s candidate for the governor of Mombasa.

“Pending the hearing and determination of this petition, this Honourable Court be pleased to grant a conservatory order restraining IEBC from receiving, considering, evaluating and processing nomination papers from Sonko to contest and vie for the office of the governor Mombasa County,” The petition reads.

Through their legal counsel, the petitioners argue that Sonko was removed from the office of the governor of Nairobi County in 2022 by way of impeachment on issues relating to promotion of good governance, integrity, transparency and integrity and is therefore barred from holding any state office.

“Having been removed from office of the governor of Nairobi after being found to have demeaned the office of the governor of Nairobi and having failed to exercise the values and principles of good governance, integrity, transparency and accountability in implementation of the law, the 1st Respondent (Sonko) is unfit to hold any state office,” They argue.

Sonko’s appeals against the impeachment in the High Court and the Court of Appeal were dismissed while the current one is pending at the Supreme Court.

The petitioners say the decision to impeach Sonko was affirmed by the High Court and the Court of Appeal and hasn’t therefore been overturned.

“There is real danger that a person duly removed from office in accordance with the law is allowed to contest in a general election to occupy the office of governor which is a state office despite being disqualified by law from doing so,” They argue.