Sonko’s name missing from IEBC’s final candidates’ list; Sakaja, Sudi, Malala gazetted
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has gazetted candidates cleared to contest for various elective seats in the 2022 General Election.
A number of candidates whose eligibility had been contested have been cleared including outgoing senator for Nairobi Johnson Sakaja who is eying the gubernatorial seat, Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala and Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi.
However, the name of former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko has been left out of the list of candidates eying the Mombasa gubernatorial seat.
The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) aspirant for Kiambu senatorial seat Karungo Thang'wa has also been left out of the list.
Sonko's petition
This comes a week after a three-judge bench sitting in Mombasa issued interim orders stopping IEBC from printing ballot papers for candidates in Mombasa gubernatorial race.
Justices Olga Sewe, Ann Ong'injo' and S. Githinji also issued conservatory orders stopping the IEBC from gazetting the names of the six Mombasa governor seat candidates pending the hearing and determination of Mike Sonko's application.
Sonko is seeking to overturn IEBC's Dispute Resolution Committee's decision to bar him from vying for the seat.
The bench also stopped Wiper Party from nominating another candidate pending the hearing of the petition.
IEBC has held that Sonko is ineligible to hold elective office following his impeachment as Nairobi governor in 2020.
Candidates cleared by IEBC
The Mombasa Governor seat will be contested by Bollo Hezron Awiti (Vibrant Democratic Party), Hassan Omar (UDA), Jama Amin Ali (PAA), Mwaruwa Abdalla Hemed (Independent), Nzaro Salim Omar (UPIA), Nassir Abdullswamad Sheriff (ODM) and Omari Said Abdalla (Usawa Kwa Wote Party).
On the other hand, Thang'wa was impeached by Kiambu County Assembly while he served as the County Executive Committee member in the devolved unit, hence the move by IEBC to disqualify him.
Those left to contest for the Kiambu senatorial seat include Kigunda Makena (Kenya National Congress), Gathekia Alice Wangari (Tujibebe Wakenya Party), Maara George Jonathan (Jubilee Party), Mugwe John Gathigi (Independent), Waikenda Machel T Karanja (Chama Cha Kazi), Wangongu George Njoroge (Safina party), and Wanjiru Joseph Kamau (Usawa Kwa Wote Party).
The two have been left out despite an order by Justices David Majanja, Mugure Thande and Chacha Mwita that allowed Sonko and Thang’wa, to face IEBC and present their papers for clearance.
