Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko impeached

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has been impeached.

This is after 88 out of 122 Nairobi MCAs voted in favour of a motion seeking to oust the Governor from office. Only two MCAs, among those who were present in the Assembly, voted against the motion.

At least 82 MCAs were required to support the motion for it to achieve the required two thirds majority threshold.

Sonko was impeached on grounds of abuse of office, gross misconduct as well as lack of capability to run county affairs, accusations that he has repeatedly denied.

His impeachment is expected to trigger a legal battle as the Employment and Labour Relations Court had earlier this week issued orders temporarily barring the County Assembly from debating the motion pending the hearing of a case filed by the Governor.

To ostensibly sabotage the impeachment process, Sonko on Wednesday attempted to employ a divide and rule tactic by ferrying a group of MCAs allied to him to the Coast to dent the two thirds majority requirement to carry forward the impeachment motion.

MCAs allied to the Governor insist that those supporting the motion did not meet the required number of 82 votes.

The Governor’s fate now lies in the hands of the Senate which will vote to either uphold or reject his impeachment.