Sonko goes after First Family, unleashes phone recording in court
Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has decided that he is not going down without a fight.
Sonko has now controversially dragged the first family into his current woes in his flailing attempts to claw back lost power following his impeachment last month.
Known for his fancy recording fingers, the former City Hall boss has now unleashed a phone recording lifting the lid on behind-the-scenes manouevres preceding his ouster by Nairobi MCAs on December 3, 2020.
This came immediately after a Nairobi anti-corruption court declined his spirited attempts to file a cross petition seeking to block vetting of Nairobi Disaster Management Chief Officer Anne Mwenda as deputy governor as well as setting aside recent cabinet reorganisation by acting Governor Benson Mutura.
In the application, the former Makadara MP had listed petitioner Peter Agoro, Ms Mwenda, Nairobi County Assembly, acting Governor Mr Mutura and clerk of the Nairobi County assembly as respondents in the case. Kristina Pratt Kenyatta and Ms Weru have been listed as interested parties.
Ms Weru is part of a shortlist of four female candidates that Mr Sonko had said he would consider for deputy governor following the resignation of Polycarp Igathe in 2018.
The others included Bishop Margaret Wanjiru, Karen Nyamu and businesswoman Agnes Kagure.
In the sworn affidavit by his lawyer Harrison Kinyanjui, Mr Sonko claimed thatKristina Pratt Kenyatta, President Uhuru Kenyatta’s elder sister, allegedly contacted him prior to his impeachment seeking his favour of appointment of Ms Jane Weru as Nairobi deputy governor.
To prove his accusations, Mr Kinyanjui said his client will rely on the transcript of the said conversation in proof of the averments of the allegations as well as production of the recording of the conversation.
“Ms Weru is the person recommended by Kristina Pratt Kenyatta to Mr Sonko to assume the role and capacity of the Nairobi County Governor immediately prior to unlawful and sham impeachment of the cross petitioner by reason of which she is a relevant party,” read in part the affidavit.
In the leaked audio recording, a female voice can be heard telling Mr Sonko that the President was to talk to him about a possible nomination of Ms Weru as deputy governor to replace Mr Polycarp Igathe who had resigned in 2018.
“Tell him (President Kenyatta) that I am the one who brought her and by that, he will remember. I told him that I brought her and recommended her to you,” said the female caller.
The former Makadara MP, in turn, told the woman on the other end that he had no problem with the proposition as long as the boss (the President) is aware of the issue.