Nairobi News

Kenyans have been treated to a cocktail of crazy allegations during embattled Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko’s impeachment trial at the Senate.

Top among the charges facing the former Makadara MP is his claim in July that he was given alcohol in State House before signing the Deed of Transfer of Functions on February 25, 2020.

Reading the charges at the Senate during the trial Sonko’s impeachment trial, Nairobi County Assembly Minority Leader Michael Ogada said the governor violated Article 73 of the Constitution and Section 8 and 11 on the Leadership and Integrity Act, 2012 on public trust and professionalism by his admission of being intoxicated and thus not in the right frame of mind when he signed the Deed.

He made these allegations on Facebook.

The allegations of impropriety on the part of State House, said Ogada, imputes improper motive on the Office of the President and brings disrepute, ridicule, hatred, and contempt to the Office of the President and of the Governor.

“Hawa watu wa State House waliniconfuse na pombe  (The people at State House confused me with alcohol)kwanza by the time I was meeting the President for the signing I was just seeing zigzag,” claimed the flamboyant politician at the time.

He would later repeat the allegations in August while appearing on Jeff Koinange Live show on Citizen TV blaming the “system” for serving him alcohol ahead of the signing ceremony.

“It is not a sin or crime to drink. 70% of Kenyans drink. I like telling Kenyans the truth. I was not drinking with the President that day when I was summoned to sign the transfer of functions,” he explained to Jeff.

“Before meeting the President we were taking drinks and that was the work of the ‘system.’ Walinipangia hapo kwa canteen. Tulikuwa tunachapachapa vitu. Nilikuwa nimeonja kitu. The system arranged so that I can drink something at the State House canteen. I had taken something,” he went on.

Another crazy charge facing the City Hall boss is his persistent, willful use and publishing of abusive and unbecoming words and language, as evidenced by his social media posts and numerous rants, in which he has hurled abuses and conducted himself in a manner that undermines and demeans the office he holds.

This, the Embakasi MCA said, violates Articles 73 and 75 of the Constitution on the conduct of State Officers that is demeaning to the offices they hold and Section 11 of the Leadership and Integrity Act, 2012.

Sonko is further facing charges of persistently using divisive and unbecoming language which undermines the office he holds and the county administration at large while exercising the powers of his office.

This is in contravention of Section 8 of the Leadership and Integrity Act, 2012 on Public Trust, by constantly using his position to abuse public trust in the county government by exercising the powers of his office in a manner detrimental to prudent public service delivery.

Further, Sonko is facing the charge of failing to diligently report to work and being constantly absent from office despite drawing a salary and hefty allowances and enjoying the privileges of the office he holds.

The former senator is also under pressure over being constantly unreachable in person or on his phone for inordinately longer periods of time, to the huge detriment of the performance of the functions of the County Executive.

“The Governor has violated Article 73 of the Constitution and the Leadership and Integrity Act, 2012 on the responsibilities of leadership, by failing to professionally perform his Constitutionally sanctioned duties owing to his constant absence from office, even before he was formally restrained by the Courts from accessing his Office due to corruption charges,” said Ogada.

“Indeed, the governor purported to execute the functions of the County government from his home in Mua hills, Machakos County,” he added.

Another wild charge facing the governor is his persistent intimidation, harassment and molestation of officers of the county including blackmailing his CECs and chief officers with one-year contracts, whose renewal undertaken arbitrarily, leaving the officers jittery about their employment and creating a climate of fear, uncertainty and despondence.