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Reprieve for Sonko as court extends stay orders on impeachment

Group of MCAs seek to impeach Sonko.

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by CLAIRE MUNDE

News30 July 2020 - 17:39
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In Summary


  • • The MCAs claimed that the Governor was fighting the Nairobi Metropolitan Service and was behind Elachi's woes.
  • •In March, the High Court stopped an impeachment motion against Sonko that was filed by Makongeni MCA Peter Imwatok, who is also the Minority Chief Whip.
Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko when he appeared before the Senate county Public Accounts and Investments Committee on Wednesday, July 15, 2020. Image: EZEKIEL AMING'A

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko can breathe a sigh of relief following the extension of stay orders on the case pertaining to his impeachment motion.

This comes as lawyers representing the respondents failed to appear before Justice Maureen Onyango on Thursday.

As a result, the interim stay orders were extended until October 15, 2020.

The extension orders come as MCAs allied to County Assembly Speaker Beatrice Elachi on Monday vowed to impeach Sonko, accusing him of being behind the chaos witnessed in the assembly.

The MCAs claimed that the Governor was fighting the Nairobi Metropolitan Service and was behind Elachi's woes.

In March, the High Court stopped an impeachment motion against Sonko that was filed by Makongeni MCA Peter Imwatok, who is also the Minority Chief Whip.

Justice Byrum Ongaya had ruled that the motion shall not proceed until it is filed in compliance with the Standing Orders of the County Assembly.

“The proposed motion by the MCA for the proposed impeachment as scheduled for Tuesday shall not proceed until due compliance of the standing order number 67 is complied with,” ruled the judge.

Governor Sonko’s lawyer Harrison Kinyanjui welcomed the ruling, saying: “the county assembly clerk has personally admitted that he has not received the motion or even verified the signatures.”

The assembly has been facing wrangles after Edward Gichana was sworn-in and gazetted last week as the clerk of the county assembly.

However, on Monday the court suspended the gazettement of Gichana after Jacob Ngwele went to court to obtain orders.

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