BY MWANAHABARI REPORTER
Former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko was on Wednesday July 13 cleared to run for Mombasa governor seat in the August 9 general elections.
The news left Kenyans scratching their heads in bewilderment as Sonko had seemingly reached the end of his political tether.
Sonko was facing a number of cases in court after he was impeached as Nairobi governor in 2020 over alleged corruption.
But Sonko is back to the political scene – testament that he could just be the proverbial cat with nine lives.
Sonko’s imminent return came just a day after he was pictured alongside President Uhuru Kenyatta – a man he had fallen out with for years.
Mwanahabari has learned that Sonko struck a deal with the Azimio la Umoja team – which saw him cleared to run.
Indeed, Sonko was pictured receiving the endorsement of Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga and Martha Karua.
A source said: “The deal is that Sonko must deliver Nairobi for Azimio coalition and, he will get a fair chance to vie for Mombasa governorship.”
It is said that Raila and Uhuru want Sonko to use his influence in Nairobi to try and tilt the scales in favour of Jubilee candidate Polycarp Igathe.
Azimio are concerned that Nairobi Senator Sakaja seems to be slightly ahead of Igathe based on recent polls.
The High Court in Mombasa has ordered the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to accept Sonko’s nomination.
Sonko who runs on Wiper ticket, will battle it out with ODM’s Abdulswamad Nassir and UDA’s Hassan Omar.
The big question, and which Azimio team must have considered, is whether Sonko really stands a chance in Mombasa.
There is argument that Sonko could be coming in to spoil the game for Hassan Omar of UDA, in the process handing Nassir of ODM a win.
DID YOU KNOW
1.Sonko was born in Mombasa in 1975
2. He became Makadara MP in 2010 aged 35 years.
3. In 2019 Sonko was arrested and detained at Kamiti by the Director of Public Prosecutions in Voi for over alleged corruption
4. Sonko was the second Governor of Nairobi, but was impeached by the Senate on December 17, 2020 for allegedly abusing his office
5.He became second governor to be impeached after Ferdinand Waititu of Kiambu.
6. Sonko is rumoured to have broken out of prison in 1998,