Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko’s political career is seemingly on the deathbed after the Supreme Court dismissed his appeal against his ouster by the Nairobi County Assembly.

The Friday decision effectively means Sonko’s clearance by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to vie in the Mombasa governor race will be reversed.

In their dismissal, the apex court judges ruled that Sonko was fairly impeached, agreeing with the decision of the lower courts that had upheld his impeachment by Nairobi MCAs.

The judges indicated that the law stipulates that anyone seeking the seat of governor of a county must not have been found guilty of contravening Chapter 6 of Constitution.


“The impeachment proceedings before the County Assembly and the Senate were properly conducted in accordance with Article 181 of the Constitution, Section 33 of the County Governments Act, and Standing Orders of the Assembly and the Senate,” said the Supreme Court ruling in part.

The ruling continued reading, “The appellant was accorded adequate time and facility to respond to the charges against him both at the county assembly and in the Senate".


This comes only a day after IEBC cleared the former Nairobi City County Governor to contest for the Mombasa County governor seat in the August 9, General Election.

The electoral body cleared Sonko on Thursday afternoon to comply with a High Court order directing the commission to gazette his name among the Mombasa gubernatorial aspirants.


Justice Githinji ruled that IEBC acted unfairly by locking Sonko out of the Mombasa race.