Sonko dismisses claims he misused funds while in office

Nairobi's former county boss Mike Sonko has spoken out against the allegations made against him, claiming the accusations that he misappropriated billions in cash expenses during his tenure in office are hot air.

"Detailed scrutiny of the allegations will definitely reveal that there's some witch-hunt involved," he claimed, adding that his accusers are under pressure to tarnish his name in a bid to silence him politically.

"As a public servant working under a constitutionally governed office, any allegations about allocated institutional funds misappropriation in the nature that's been alleged, would not hold any basis."

Sonko is facing fresh watchdog committee inquiries into the wanton financial malpractices during his three-year tenure. The committee, chaired by HomaBay Senator Moses Kajwang', recommended that Sonko be surcharged Sh 4 million City Hall incurred in 2018 as payment to 33 police officers who were guarding the then-governor during a 22-day trip to Mombasa.

"Never in my tenure did I ever prolong my stay in Mombasa for the said period of time neither have I at any particular moment walked around with a swelled team of security detail. I'm still active in politics. I'm a busy man juggling between family and work. Where would I gather all that idle energy?" he posed.

Sonko insists that the aforementioned allegations were fueled by malice. "When you hold a prescribed service-based appointment as such, you need to give it your all." Since his eviction, Sonko alleges that no one has challenged him to an audit query concerning the issue.

"Other parties involved in the incriminating accusations have not factored that a sitting county boss has an assigned resource to his office. The 33 bodyguards in question were distributed to different departments in his government and through the entire scope of service.