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Sonko defends Sakaja from Jubilee hardliners

By COLLINS OMULO January 25th, 2018 2 min read

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has come to the defense of Senator Johnson Sakaja who has been under attack from a section of Jubilee leaders for bailing out Embakasi East MP Babu Owino.

Governor Sonko said that the gesture by Mr Sakaja was within his democratic and constitutional rights going ahead to draw a parallel when he also secured the release of members of Mombasa Republican Movement (MRC) from custody some years back.

“That is a tricky question but you know it is his constitutional and democratic right if he wants to free anyone he can. I remember I also secured the release of MRC members at the Coast when there were issues of insecurity,” Mr Sonko said on Thursday.

He also said that the senator was still a member of Jubilee Party, adding that by bailing out Babu Owino, who is a member of the opposition, doesn’t mean he has switched allegiance.

“Maybe he has his reasons for doing that but he is still in Jubilee, he is the Senator, he is a good leader and he is still my friend and he has good ambition. We wish him all the best,” he said.

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Senator Sakaja has been under attack from a faction of Jubilee legislators after aiding the release of the Embakasi East lawmaker from police custody on Sunday.

Mr Owino had been detained at Parklands Police Station after he was arrested in Parliament building on Friday last week.

Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria and Kikuyu lawmaker Kimani Ichung’wa, in particular, accused Mr Sakaja of being a sympathizer of the Opposition, saying that he only used the ruling party to win the Nairobi Senatorial seat.

On Wednesday, Nairobi Jubilee and NASA MCAs, women and youth leaders also defended Mr Sakaja, praising the former nominated MP for being the only politician who has been at the forefront of fighting tribalism and advocating for youth and women agenda in Parliament.