Sonko declares 10-year break from politics, to withdraw case challenging ouster

Sonko declares 10-year break from politics, to withdraw case challenging ouster

Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has changed the tune and will no longer be seeking to stop the February 18 Nairobi County by-election.

He has also announced a 10-year break from active politics, saying that ‘God’s time is the best’.

And while defending his yet-to-begin sabbatical, Sonko said even President Uhuru took a sabbatical after losing in 2002 to vie again in 2013.

The embattled former governor had obtained an injunction, stopping Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) from conducting the Nairobi County by-election.

Without a deputy governor, Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Benson Mutura took over the county’s leadership for 60 days as is mandated by law.

With the county assembly planning to vet Nairobi Deputy Governor nominee Anne Mwenda Kananu on Friday after a case challenging her vetting was withdrawn— and in a plot construed as an attempt to circumvent the by election and have the Ms Kananu take charge— Sonko has now thrown a spanner into the works, withdrawing the would-be deputy governor’s nomination.

He said the move will allow the Nairobi County electorate to elect a leader of their choice.

“I withdrew the nomination and the case in court because Nairobi is bbigger than any individual,” he said.

He is also expected to withdraw a court case challenging the legality of his ouster by the senate on grounds of wanton graft and abuse of office.

Sonko’s remarks come against a backdrop of Deputy President William Ruto allies unveiling former Starehe MP Margaret Wanjiru as the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party candidate.

Wanjiru likely to face off with former Dagoretti South MP Dennis Waweru and businesswoman Anne Kagure who are to face-off for the Jubilee ticket.

Sonko has announced that he will be taking a 10-year sabbatical from politics, announcing that he has no intentions of trying to reclaim his seat.

With Sonko set to go to court on Monday to withdraw the case against the by-election—it remains to be seen whether the IEBC will proceed with the by-election or whether the County Assembly will proceed to vet the deputy governor candidate.

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