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Guyo dismissal linked to Sonko ouster scheme

Friday, October 11th, 2019 00:00 | By
Nairobi county MCAs flee after police hurled tear gas to control chaos at the Assembly on Wednesday. Photo/PD/David Ndolo

Anthony Mwangi and David Ndolo

Ousted Leader of Majority at the Nairobi County Assembly Abdi Guyo had planned to impeach Governor Mike Sonko on Wednesday prompting the latter to plot a counter-coup that replaced the former.

A source privy to the plot to kick Sonko out of office said it was planned by Guyo and some Members of County Assembly (MCAs) two weeks ago and was to be affected soon after the governor left for Copenhagen (Denmark) where he is to be feted for his good deeds project.

Immediately Sonko got wind of the impeachment bid, he mobilised his allies to plan how to counter the plot.

Resume post

The first move according to the source was to bring back ousted Speaker Beatrice Elachi to the office to take charge because Guyo had won the support of the leadership and nothing could succeed against him.

When  Guyo’s team got wind of the planned Elachi return, they vowed never to allow her to resume the Speaker’s seat.

True to their word, when Elachi took office on Wednesday morning, Guyo is said to have mobilised some  MCAs and youths to storm to the Speaker’s office ostensibly to eject her.

Things turned chaotic with teargas being hurled at Elachi as vandals took advantage of the situation. However, calm was restored when MCAs supporting Elachi stormed the office and banished the unruly youths.

But a defiant Guyo held a meeting with a group of 36 MCAs later yesterday at a city hotel and maintained that he is still the Majority Leader. He said another 20 MCAs had sent apologies and backed his decision.

He blamed his woes on Governor Sonko saying he and  MCAs allied to him have no problem with Elachi resuming office. 

“We have no problem with the Speaker, in fact, she is the one who had refused to resume office after the court reinstated her,” said the ousted Majority Leader.

 Guyo said following Wednesday’s fracas, he feels threatened and that should anything happen to him the governor should be held liable. “My life is now in danger, the governor should be held to account should anything happen to me,” he added.

Record statement

He also denied claims that he was behind a dossier which resulted to Sonko being summoned to record a statement with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.  “I am not the one who was wiring cash to his accounts. He should ask those who were giving him money and not me,” said Guyo.

On Wednesday, Elachi told People Daily that she has officially resumed her position and will be giving more details next week, adding that she had adjourned the House until a later date.

“I have assumed office and adjourned the sittings to give members time to reorganise under the new administration,” she said.

Asked what steps she will be taking against Guyo, she said she has left everything to God and was instead planning on how to execute her role as the Speaker and make the Assembly regain its glory.

“I have moved on and will not allow detractors to come in, we have a lot of work ahead of us,” Elachi said on phone.

Later in the afternoon, a defiant Elachi chaired the session whose sole agenda was to vote out Guyo from office.

Maringo Hamza MCA, Mark Ndung’u was unanimously voted in as the Leader of Majority to replace Guyo.

Before he left for Denmark, Sonko wrote a letter accusing Guyo of being an impediment in his implementation of Jubilee administration’s policies and that his sustained attacks and intimidation towards the Speaker and county staff can no longer stand.

“It has come to the attention of the Nairobi County government, that the majority leader of our ruling party, Abdi Guyo has been undermining the county government through intimidation, interference and cajoling of staff. This has made it difficult for me to implement the Jubilee manifesto and focusing on the Big Four agenda.

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