This archive report was first published on 1 July 2020.
On Tuesday, a dramatic scene unfolded at Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko's private office in Upper Hill when anti-corruption agency officers, accompanied by over 30 police officers, attempted to search the premises.
The officers, from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), had arrived at around 10am and parked one of their cars on the entrance to scale the gate and access the compound.
However, they were met with resistance from Sonko's supporters who were already inside the compound, leading to a nearly three-hour standoff.
The land in question, valued at Sh500 million, is owned by the Kenya Railway Staff Retirement Benefits Scheme and was leased to Sonko in May 2017 for use as office space.
According to the EACC, they had obtained a warrant of search issued by Nairobi Chief Magistrate court on June 23, and were also authorized to conduct a valuation on the property.
On June 25, just two days after obtaining the order, the EACC assistant director wrote to the Kenya Railway Staff Retirement Benefits Scheme requesting them to appoint an officer to join in the valuation process.
When questioned about the incident, Sonko stated that he was surprised by the officers' actions and insisted that the property was legally acquired from the pension scheme.
“The officers are welcome to conduct their investigations without any showmanship. As a law-abiding citizen, I have cooperated with all the investigations. Let them follow the right procedure and come back,” Sonko said.
