Nairobi residents might return to the ballot to elect a new governor if the Senate approves Thursday’s impeachment of Mike Sonko.
Sonko was impeached in a Thursday afternoon sitting where 88 MCAs voted for his removal as governor. Only two of those who participated voted in favour of Sonko.
The impeachment motion was moved by Minority leader Michael Ogada.
Members started sing “Yote yawezekana bila Sonko (everything is possible without Sonko) immediately Speaker Benson Mutura announced the result of the vote.
Sonko had been expected to appear before the assembly via zoom to defend himself but he failed to do. Instead, the governor was in Kwale with a host of MCAs who were opposing his removal.
“I have confirmed with the clerks that Governor Sonko has failed to log in. Consequently we shall proceed with the mover of the motion,” Mutura told the sitting.
Sonko is accused of abuse of office, gross violation of the Constitution and gross misconduct. His refusal to assent to the budget was at the centre of the impeachment. Sonko declined to approve the budget, saying there was no way MCAs could allocate NMS Sh27 billion out of the Sh37.5 billion budget.
Ogada said the assembly had no option but to impeach the governor.
“We have to execute our last mandate and our last resort is to impeach the governor,” he said.
“We have tried our best and looked for solutions.”
Majority leader Abdi Guyo apologised on behalf of Jubilee members for electing an inefficient governor.
“As leader of Majority, I want to say we in Jubilee are embarrassed for electing an inefficient governor. I apologise on behalf of all Jubilee members,” he said.
“We cannot let the county go to the dogs. We must rescue it. He (Sonko) has no choice but to remain in Kwale where he is,” Minority Whip Peter Imwatok said
“For the last there years we have tried to work with the governor but that has not been possible,” Ngara’s Chege Mwaura said.
The impeachment happened even as a judge disqualified himself from hearing the case by Sonko challenging the impeachment.
Judge Rika barred the media from covering the impeachment case.
On Tuesday, Justice Nzioki Wa Makau issued temporary orders stopping the impeachment of the governor pending inter-parties hearing on Thursday.
However, when the media tried to access the court, Justice Rika refused saying he only wanted lawyers in his court.
Sonko’s lawyers maintained the court declined to set aside the orders issued on Tuesday and any attempt to impeach the Governor will be in contempt.
Speaking to reporters outside the court, lawyers Harrison Kinyanjui and Kwanga Mboya said they were appalled by what transpired.
County assembly lawyer Duncan Okatch said Justice Makau’s orders were vacated automatically because the judge did not extend them.
But Kinyanjui said the order issued on Tuesday still stands until Thursday midnight, unless there is another order stating that the previous one has been suspended.