When Kiambu Governor, Ferdinand
Waititu was impeached early this year, the message was copied to all Governors
with pending cases in court or whose relationships with Assembly members was in
rocks.
Among those feared to be at risk is
embattled Nairobi Governor Gideon Kioko Mbuvi alias Mike Sonko.
He was arrested on accounts of
mismanagement of public funds and failure to account for Ksh 357 million.
Trouble began when a Milimani
anti-corruption court judgment barred Sonko from accessing his office over the
graft charges.
Since December 2019, the Governor
has been fearing for his tenure at City Hall and has been trying by all means
possible to prevent an impeachment motion from being tabled in the County assembly.
The flamboyant politician knows
well that the MCAs are the best people to save him.
Sonko has, in the past, lured some
to overseas trips, others with money while others remain just loyal to him.
The latest development was seen
yesterday when the motion was going to be tabled by a section of the MCA mostly
aligned to Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
The Governor is said to have called
an impromptu meeting at his private Upper hill office, where he met more than
60 MCAs.
The trick was to cause a quorum hitch
at the house thus forestall his ouster plans.
The meeting, which lasted for
hours, was adjourned after the atmosphere was cleared that there was no censure
motion that was tabled.
Some MCAs who attended but sought
anonymity revealed that the governor begged their support against the move.
“He called us some minutes to 8.00
AM for a meeting. It was basically aimed at frustrating the quorum at the
assembly,” said one MCA.
Peter Warutere, Roysambu MCA confirmed
that a total of 62 MCAs had been invited although some did not make it.
“We are at Upper Hill with the governor. He
had called us for a meeting before the plenary. We came to meet him to discuss
the issue of the coming of motion on the impeachment of Governor Sonko,” he said.
The county assembly needs at least
a total of 41 members out of the total 122 for any business transaction.
Sonko was sure that causing the
divide will scuttle the plans to ouster him. The cards played out well and only
10 jubilee MCAs attended the Wednesday session.
Sonko has also reached out to the
ODM leaders, however, a letter that was written by the ODM Branch Chairman and
Makadara Mp, George Aladwa warned the MCAs against the move.
In the letter, Aladwa warned that
the party was not in support of Governor Sonko ouster.
“I have been directed by the Party
Leader Hon Raila Odinga to advise the honourable members that the party is not
supporting the move,” read the letter dated February 19.
However, some MCAs said the motion
is unstoppable, even as Embakasi MCA Michael Ogada continues to collect
signatures.
“I assure you that we are on course
and we already have over 80 signatures. I would not have moved on with it if I
was not sure of its success,” said Ogada.
Discussion about this post