Sonko fights gazettement of cleared governor hopefuls

Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko. [Collins Kweyu, Standard] 

Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has filed an application at the Mombasa High Court to stop the gazettement of six governor candidates cleared by the electoral agency pending his clearance.

Mr Sonko wants to be allowed to present a complaint against the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC)'s Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) for declining to clear his papers.

He wants the IEBC, Returning Officer Mombasa and the AG compelled to receive his nomination forms and clear him pending hearing and determination of the applications.

Justice John Mativo certified his application as urgent and allowed for judicial review on June 14.

However, the judge declined to have the review serve as a stay order on the IEBC decision barring him to vie pending the hearing of the application inter-parties.

Mr Sonko on Tuesday suffered a setback after the IEBC declined to clear him for failure to meet regulations on leadership and integrity following his December 2020 impeachment by the Nairobi county assembly.

IEBC returning officer Swalaha Yusuf said Mr Sonko had no court orders to compel the IEBC to clear him.

On Monday, a three-judge bench lifted orders issued to stop the IEBC from receiving Mr Sonko’s documents until three petitions filed against him are heard and determined.

Justices David Majanja, Chacha Mwita and Mugure Thande said the orders should not be construed to mean they had directed IEBC to clear him.

Mr Sonko said he was aggrieved by IEBC's decision as he was never accorded a chance to be heard nor was he summoned by the electoral officials to clarify issues raised.