More trouble for Sonko as DPP vows to block his Mombasa gubernatorial bid

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji has vowed to bar the former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko from vying for the Mombasa gubernatorial seat in the August election.

Haji said Sonko is still morally barred from holding any public office following his impeachment from office on December 18, 2020, and said his office will not be clearing Sonko to vie for the Mombasa governor’s seat.

He promised to put up a spirited fight even if there is a possibility that the DPP might lose the battle.

“As ODPP we will fight it, We might lose but we will fight it. If you are impeached, morally that individual should not be able to run for office,” the DPP said.

Haji argued that impeachment applies not only in the county you are impeached from but applies across the country.

He was speaking during an interview on a local radio station where he said one cannot jump from one county to another with an impeachment hanging over their head.

"In my opinion, if you are impeached, you are not impeached not to run in Nairobi but it's across the country. So you cannot continue jumping from one county to another with an impeachment on your neck and then go start campaigning to become a governor of another county," Haji said.

An Eldoret-based court ordered the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) against clearing the former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko.

Sonko was impeached on December 18, 2020, both on charges related to gross violation of the constitution, abuse of office, gross misconduct and crimes under national law.

He is looking forward to vying for the Mombasa gubernatorial seat while Waititu was eyeing the Kiambu gubernatorial seat after Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper party handed him a direct nomination ticket to vie for the Mombasa governor’s seat.