This archive report was first published on 14 December 2019.
Published on December 14, 2019, the drama surrounding Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko's arrest, trial, and bail-out has left many Kenyans shocked. The Governor's ailing condition miraculously improved for him to attend the bail hearing and then go straight home when bail was granted.
Chief Magistrate Ogoti's ruling bars the Governor from accessing county offices and effectively removes him from running Nairobi affairs until he proves his innocence. However, the message didn't seem to have been received, as the Governor was later denied official access to the Jamhuri Day anniversary celebrations.
The Governor is caught in a psychological web of his own making, having refused to appoint a Deputy Governor for nearly two years. He has twisted awkwardly between flight or fight in a court of law and the court of public opinion. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Judiciary have now taken these important decisions away from him.
Stripped of state power and privilege, he faces criminal proceedings. He also faces the political dilemma whether to now resign or have that decision also taken away from him in impeachment proceedings by the Nairobi County Assembly. Irreparable reputation and future political oblivion looms.
Will Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko choose to resign or have that decision taken away from him in impeachment proceedings? The option requires humility and courage on the part of the leader, as well as a political context and an electorate that demands it.
