Residents want Sonko barred from Mombasa governor race

 

Two voters in Mombasa County have moved to court seeking orders to block the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission from accepting the nomination of Mike Sonko as a candidate for the Mombasa governor seat.

Ndoro Kayuga and George Odhiambo, through lawyer Willis Oluga of Oluga and Company Advocates, want the High Court to issue conservatory orders restraining the IEBC from clearing the former Nairobi Governor for election.

"Pending hearing and determination of the petition filed herewith, there be and is issued a conservatory order of injunction to restrain the IEBC, the 3rd respondent herein, from accepting the nomination of the 1st respondent to contest and vie for the office of the Governor of Mombasa County and from clearing the 1st Respondent for election into the office of the Governor Mombasa County," the petition reads.

They want the matter heard under a certificate of urgency.

Kayugo and Odhiambo argue that having been impeached for contravening Article 75(1)(c) of the Constitution of Kenya, Sonko is disqualified from holding any other state office.

"Having been found unsuitable to hold the office of the Governor of Nairobi County, the 1st Respondent is equally unsuitable to hold the office of the Governor of Mombasa County."

The petitioners said the Wiper party also went against Article 75(3) of the Constitution by nominating Sonko as their governor candidate for Mombasa.

This comes a few days after Sonko was cleared by Wiper to vie for the Mombasa Gubernatorial seat.

He will be deputised by Kisauni MP Ali Mbogo.

“Our consensus efforts continue to bear fruit. The National Elections Board is very pleased to announce that Mike Sonko and Ali Mboga have agreed to work together to deliver Mombasa County Governorship,” Kalonzo said.

Speaking on Sunday, Sonko revealed that he dropped his bid to vie for the capital’s governor seat out of respect for Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka.

He said that he had an interest in vying for the seat, but dropped his ambitions after Kalonzo advised him to settle on Mombasa.

"All these decisions were made by my party leader. He told me there are a lot of interests in the Nairobi governor seat,” Sonko said.     BY THE STAR