Nairobi residents might return to the ballot to elect a new governor if the Senate approves Thursday’s impeachment of Mike Sonko.
Sonko was impeached in a Thursday afternoon sitting where 88 MCAs voted for his removal as governor. Only two of those who participated voted in favour of Sonko.
The impeachment motion was moved by Minority leader Michael Ogada.
Members started sing “Yote yawezekana bila Sonko (everything is possible without Sonko) immediately Speaker Benson Mutura announced the result of the vote.
Sonko had been expected to appear before the assembly via zoom to defend himself but he failed to do. Instead, the governor was in Kwale with a host of MCAs who were opposing his removal.
“I have confirmed with the clerks that Governor Sonko has failed to log in. Consequently we shall proceed with the mover of the motion,” Mutura told the sitting.
Sonko is accused of abuse of office, gross violation of the Constitution and gross misconduct. His refusal to assent to the budget was at the centre of the impeachment. Sonko declined to approve the budget, saying there was no way MCAs could allocate NMS Sh27 billion out of the Sh37.5 billion budget.
Ogada said the assembly had no option but to impeach the governor.
“We have to execute our last mandate and our last resort is to impeach the governor,” he said.