The court of appeal has temporarily halted the swearing-in of Anne Kananu as the Governor of Nairobi pending the hearing of a case filed by ex-governor Mike Sonko.
Also stopped was the appointment of a Deputy Governor of Nairobi County.
Sonko went to court to protest the swearing-in of Kananu citing irregularities committed by both the Senate and the County Assembly of Nairobi during the process of his impeachment.
He alleged that the Nairobi County Assembly failed to meet the required threshold to oust him.
Sonko also said that the voting process had elements of forgery since some members of the Nairobi County Assembly were in Kwale.
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The ex-governor further stated that 52 members of the Nairobi County Assembly have affidavits sworn under oath stating that they never signed any documents in the impeachment proceedings.
The embattled ex-governor also argued that the impeachment process never involved public participation denying the Nairobi residents the opportunity to be part of the process.
“While undertaking the impeachment process, the County Assembly of the Nairobi City County did not undertake public participation and therefore the residents of Nairobi City County were not accorded the opportunity to make their contribution and/or participate in the process.” Court documents partly read.
Sonko faulted the Senate plenary for not investigating the charged in the impeachment motion neither was he given the chance to defend himself against the allegations brought forth for his impeachment.
At the time of his impeachment, Nairobi County never had a substantive deputy governor paving way for the Speaker to be sworn in and act in the capacity of the Governor awaiting elections as the constitution stipulates.
However, Ann Kananu was sworn-in as the Deputy Governor within a short time followed by the acting governor’s resignation and handing over power to Kananu.
The orders stopping the swearing-in of Kananu will stay in force until October 22, 2021, when the matter will be brought back in court for further directions.