This archive report was first published on 9 November 2019.
Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko's Leadership Style Raises Eyebrows ¶
Since becoming governor in August 2017, Mike Sonko has been at the center of controversy, with many questioning his leadership style and motives.
On November 9, 2019, Sonko appeared at the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) offices after being summoned for reportedly lying when he sought clearance to contest for Nairobi governor.
According to sources, the EACC wants to know how some amounts ended up in Sonko's accounts from as early as 2017, and he risks a five-year prison term, a Sh5 million fine or both if found guilty.
Despite the controversy surrounding him, Sonko remains a popular figure in Nairobi, known for his flamboyant lifestyle and quick rise to power.
He made his debut into the city politics during the Makadara by-election in 2010, beating veterans Dick Wathika and Reuben Ndolo, and then became senator in 2013 before a 2017 landslide victory against Governor Evans Kidero.
However, his leadership style has been criticized for being reckless and unorthodox, with many employees living in fear of intimidation and harassment.
Since becoming governor, more than 50 top county officers have either been suspended or dismissed, and the city's devolved government has been run as a one-man show, with Sonko exerting unparalleled control and influence over the Executive and the Assembly.
City Hall has been on auto-pilot, with no deputy governor in place since Polycarp Igathe resigned in January last year, and Sonko's continued reluctance to appoint a deputy has raised eyebrows.
Some say the governor is comfortable operating that way because he fears being barred from office should a crisis occur, as happened in Kiambu and Samburu.
As the EACC continues to investigate Sonko, many are left wondering what the future holds for the flamboyant politician and the city of Nairobi.
