Sonko suffers blow as bid to halt Kananu vetting hits a snag
Impeached Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko yesterday suffered a blow after the High Court declined to issue orders, barring the county assembly from vetting Anne Kananu on Friday.
Justice Anthony Mrima also declined to issue conservatory orders, barring acting Governor Benson Mutura from making any changes at City Hall pending hearing and determination of Sonko’s application.
This is after Mutura made new appointments last Wednesday including the reinstatement of Janet Ouko who resigned in January 2019 as the County Executive Committee member in charge of Education.
Mutura transferred Lucia Mulwa from the Education docket to Agriculture and appointed Jairus Musumba as the Acting County Secretary.
He also appointed Paul Mutungi as the Chief of Staff and Brian Weke as the legal advisor for the governor’s office.
Sonko however, in a new petition filed by lawyer Harrison Kinyanjui on Thursday last week wanted the court to stop the county assembly from vetting Kananu.
He had argued that Kananu was still his deputy governor nominee until December 7, 2020 when he revoked and withdrew her nomination.
But Kananu through lawyer Paul Muite told the court that the letter purporting to withdraw her nomination is useless as it has no legal basis.
Assumed office
Sonko further argued that on February 17, 2020, Justice Mumbi Ngugi had stopped the vetting and approval of Kananu as the deputy governor of Nairobi.
The vetting of Kananu was scheduled for Friday after Justice Hedwig Ongundi allowed the withdrawal of a petition by Peter Odhiambo Agoro that had sought to stop the process of Kananu’s vetting.
Justice Hedwig Ongundi last week cleared the way for Kananu vetting after he allowed the withdrawal of a petition by Peter Agoro, that had challenged her nomination.
Meanwhile, justice Mrima consolidated two other cases filed by one Habib Kongo and Okiya Omtatah touching on related issues.
In the cases, Kongo argues that he is an aspiring candidate for the Nairobi governor seat and he was opposed to the vetting of Kananu.
Omtatah argues that under the Constitution, Kananu cannot be deputy governor since she never assumed office when Nairobi had a governor.
