Former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko has declared his support for Deputy President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza Alliance, citing political frustration.
He also claims that Ruto has offered him a lucrative deal in which he would recommend one Cabinet Secretary and three principal secretaries to a Ruto-led government.
Sonko was a member of the Wiper Party, which was led by Kalonzo Musyoka, a principal in the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Coalition Party, until Saturday, July 30.
The former county chief attempted to run for governor of Mombasa on the Wiper Party ticket, but was disqualified due to integrity issues.
When he was the second governor of Nairobi County, Sonko was impeached by MCAs for gross violation of the Constitution and abuse of office.
Sonko filed a legal challenge to his impeachment in December 2020, claiming that the proper procedure was not followed in his removal.
Sonko lost the case in the High Court, Court of Appeal, and finally the Supreme Court, putting the final nail in the coffin of his elective seat.
Sonko is now ineligible to hold any elective or appointive State office, according to the Constitution.
The former Nairobi county executive claims he has been frustrated by political figures who do not want him to run in the August 9 elections.
Sonko’s defection was announced by Deputy President William Ruto on Saturday.
“We welcome @MikeSonko to Kenya Kwanza, the winning team,” Ruto tweeted, along with a photo of himself and the former Nairobi County chief.
Sonko, for his part, claimed on Instagram that he had been “pushed to the wall.”
“I come to you this morning with a heavy heart” (Saturday, July 30). “You all know what’s been going on and how I’ve been pushed to the breaking point trying to do my best for you, my people of Mombasa,” Sonko explained.
“Time is not on our side, and as a leader, I have had to sit down and think about what is best for my people, and I have come to the realization that I should work with a government that shares my vision for my people and benefits them.” “I can’t think about Sonko right now; I have to think about the people of Mombasa and their future,” he explained.
Sonko has stated that he will not abandon his would-be deputy gubernatorial candidate, Kisauni Constituency Member of Parliament Ali Mbogo. On a Wiper Party ticket, the two were running for the Mombasa seat together.
“I will not abandon my brother Ali Mbogo, who has been subjected to suffering by those fighting me, and thus, among the positions offered to me by Ruto, I will consider him.” When God closes one door, He opens another that is better.
“I would like to enter into this agreement with UDA so that I can guarantee jobs and opportunities for my Mombasa and Nairobi residents.” I will, however, not leave without thanking Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka, who has always stood by me. I also want to thank President Uhuru Kenyatta, who has been like a brother to me and has supported me, and I wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.
“I go in peace and promise peaceful campaigns to the other side,” he said.
Sonko asserts Ruto has offered to let him choose a number of senior State officials.
He claims that one Cabinet Secretary position, three Principal Secretary positions, four ambassadorial posts, three CEC positions in Mombasa County, three chief officers in Mombasa County, and two CEC positions in Nairobi County are on the table.
Sonko’s adventure
Sonko rose to political prominence in 2010 when he was elected as the Member of Parliament for Makadara Constituency to the National Assembly.
He won the seat in a by-election on September 20, 2010, defeating ODM’s Reuben Ndolo. Sonko competed for a Narc-Kenya ticket.
After the courts invalidated Dickson Wathika’s 2007 victory due to electoral irregularities, the Makadara parliamentary seat became vacant in April 2010.
Sonko successfully ran for a Nairobi senatorial seat on the now-defunct National Alliance Party in 2013. (TNA).
Sonko, a dreamer and doer, set his sights on the Nairobi gubernatorial seat, defeating incumbent Evans Kidero of the ODM Party. This time, he ran on behalf of the Jubilee Party, which was formed in the run-up to the August 8, 2017 General Election.
Jubilee was formed by the merger of Uhuru Kenyatta’s TNA and William Ruto’s United Republican Party (URP).
Sonko was impeached by MCAs on December 19, 2020, after serving as governor for three years for gross misconduct, gross violation of the Constitution, and abuse of office.
