Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has launched a fresh bid to overturn his impeachment, arguing that new evidence, coupled with a recent ruling by the East African Court of Justice (EACJ), has strengthened his case and cleared the way for his return to elective politics ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking on Tuesday, Sonko maintained that he remains eligible to contest any political seat, insisting that a 2022 High Court ruling allowing him to vie for office has never been overturned.
He cited Article 193(3) of the Constitution, arguing that a person is not disqualified from being elected if all avenues of appeal or review have not been exhausted.
“My eligibility to vie for any political position still stands,” Sonko said during an interview with TV47’s Elizabeth Mutuku, referring to a three-judge bench ruling delivered in Mombasa on July 13, 2022, which found that he could seek elective office. He argued that the judgment was never successfully challenged within the prescribed timelines and therefore remains valid.
The former governor said he is now preparing to file an application seeking a review of his impeachment, citing what he described as fresh evidence that was not available during previous court proceedings.
Among the grounds he intends to rely on is a decision by the East African Court of Justice, which faulted the Kenyan Supreme Court over the manner in which it handled his appeal against his impeachment.
According to Sonko, the regional court found that the Supreme Court failed to adhere to its own procedural rules by allegedly fast-tracking the case and giving his legal team only a few hours to file submissions before delivering its judgment.
“I was given hours to file my submissions instead of the required 14 days, and my case was decided in a day,” Sonko claimed.
He also cited affidavits allegedly sworn by Michael Otada, who moved the impeachment motion in the Nairobi County Assembly, and Abdi Guyo, who seconded it. Sonko claimed the two had admitted that they gave false information during the impeachment process.
“The mover of the impeachment motion, Michael Otada, and the seconder, Abdi Guyo, have already sworn affidavits admitting that they lied to impeach me. With this evidence, my case will be reviewed, and I am confident I will get justice,” he said.
Sonko expressed confidence that the fresh evidence would ultimately lead to the reversal of his impeachment and restore his political rights.
His latest move signals a renewed legal battle nearly six years after he was impeached as Nairobi governor in December 2020. The impeachment was upheld by the Senate and later affirmed by the Supreme Court, effectively barring him from holding public office.
If successful, Sonko’s application could reopen one of Kenya’s most closely watched impeachment cases and potentially reshape the legal debate over the rights of impeached State officers seeking to return to elective politics.