Nairobi Governor by-election suspended following petition filed by Sonko

The Nairobi Governor by-election has been suspended pending determination of a petition filed by impeached county boss Mike Sonko.

High Court Judge Antony Mrima, in a ruling delivered on Monday, said Governor Sonko as well as the Nairobi County Assembly presented important arguments which he certified as urgent hence it was necessary to halt the by-election process and hear them first.

Nairobi County Assembly lawyer Ndegwa Njiru and Sonko’s legal team both expressed satisfaction at the ruling, further stating that the matter should be heard by more than one judge.

Judge Mrima will now issue a ruling on whether the matter will be heard by a bench on January 14, 2020.

Lawyer Ndegwa also stated that Sonko had nominated Ann Kananu to be his deputy governor hence arguing that should the Kenyan citizen who went to court to oppose the nomination drop the case, then Kananu should be sworn in as the new Nairobi Governor.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) last month set February 18, 2021 as the date for the by-election to replace Mike Sonko as Nairobi Governor following his impeachment.

IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati, in a gazette notice, directed political parties intending to participate in the by-election to submit the names of the persons contesting in their party primaries.

Chebukati also directed political parties intending to present candidates in the election through direct nominations to submit the list of persons nominated on or before Monday, January 11, 2021.

“A public officer who intends to contest in the by-election shall resign from public office within seven (7) days of the declaration of the vacancy,” read the notice.

“The Commission shall publish, in the Gazette, the names of the persons contesting in a party primary and the date of the party primary within seven (7) days of receipt of the names of the candidates.”

The days for the nomination of political party candidates and independent candidates for the by-election were set on Monday, January 18 and Tuesday, January 19, 2021.