Mombasa IEBC Returning Officer Swalhah Ibrahim hands Mike Sonko and his running mate Ali Mbogo a clearance certificate to run for Mombasa Governorship at the Mombasa IEBC offices in Mombasa County on Thursday, July 14, 2022. [Kelvin Karani, Standard]

Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has been cleared to run for Mombasa governorship.

Sonko was cleared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) on Thursday, July 14 after the High Court ordered the electoral agency to gazette his name among the gubernatorial candidates.

Sonko arrived at the IEBC offices near State House, Mombasa on Thursday afternoon in the company of hundreds of his supporters.

The County Returning Officer Yusuf Swalha cleared the ex-county boss, who is seeking to succeed Ali Hassan Joho on Wiper Party ticket.

Sonko will face off against ODM’s Abdullswamad Sheriff Nassir, who is the current MP of Mvita Constituency, and UDA’s Hassan Omar, who served as Mombasa Senator between 2013 and 2017.

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On Wednesday, July 13, the High Court in Mombasa ordered the IEBC to clear Sonko to contest for Mombasa governorship.

Justice Stephen Githinji ruled that the electoral commission acted unfairly by locking out the former Nairobi governor.

The judge said IEBC was unreasonable for refusing to accept certified copies of Sonko’s academic certificates outside stipulated timeline.

Sonko was locked out of the race after both the County Assembly of Nairobi and the Senate impeached him over gross misconduct allegations in December 2020.

Kisauni Member of Parliament Ali Mbogo will be Sonko’s running mate in the quest to succeed Mombasa’s first governor, Joho.

Speaking after receiving the clearance certificate on Thursday,  Sonko said he will do everything possible to lodge a spirited campaign that would increase his chances of victory.

The former governor denied reports suggesting that President Uhuru Kenyatta and Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga implored upon the courts to ensure he is cleared by the IEBC.

“The Judiciary is an independent arm of Government. I can assure you that neither Uhuru nor Raila made a call to the judges to clear me. I have slightly more than 20 days to campaign. That’s enough for me to lodge a successful gubernatorial bid. I want to thank [Wiper Party leader] Kalonzo Musyoka for believing in me,” he said.