Political intrigue in Sonko’s impeachment trial
Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko.
What you need to know:
- On Wednesday last week, the tussle played out in public with the deeply divided senators reading from different scripts on how to handle the case.
Yesterday, Nairobi senator Johnson Sakaja said the Senate will stand for justice in the proceedings that are set to be the 10th impeachment process since the inception of devolution in 2013.
A power struggle has ensued in the Senate over the push to impeach Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko ahead of this week’s plenary trial.
The cold war, which began immediately it became apparent that the governor would not survive impeachment at the assembly, has now hit fever pitch.
On Wednesday last week, the tussle played out in public with the deeply divided senators reading from different scripts on how to handle the case.
The power struggle pitting those leaning towards President Uhuru Kenyatta and his “Handshake” partner, Mr Raila Odinga, on one side and those backing Deputy President William Ruto on the other, led to Senate Majority Leader Samwel Poghisio not tabling a motion that would have culminated with the formation of an 11-member committee to investigate Mr Sonko.
The Senate Business Committee (SBC) had a day before proposed the formation of the special committee, only for Mr Poghisio to abandon the motion without explanation, only saying “it was for the convenience of the House”.
Majority Whip Irungu Kangata hinted at the divide, saying, members were torn between the committee and plenary routes and the tactical retreat by Mr Poghisio was necessary so as not to create an impression that the government side has a predetermined position.
Nonetheless, Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jr downplayed the differences, saying, the protests were from both sides of the House: “We are not divided because nothing is on the floor. The leadership was alive to the views and the mood of the plenary as it is the ultimate decision-maker. Since all business is approved at plenary, it was wise to leave the matter to plenary. We have learnt how painful it can be to drive an agenda without the goodwill of the majority.”
Yesterday, Nairobi senator Johnson Sakaja said the Senate will stand for justice in the proceedings that are set to be the 10th impeachment process since the inception of devolution in 2013.
Political witch-hunt
“The decision we will make will be Solomonic. We will stand for justice. We will stand for truth. It will not be a political witch-hunt. We will look at the allegations against the governor, weigh them and gauge the truth,” Mr Sakaja said at the Friends Church Ofafa Jericho in Makadara constituency, Nairobi, yesterday.
Multiple senators who spoke to the Nation said the move to abandon the committee route for plenary option was in part informed by intelligence of a planned coup by Tangatanga-leaning senators who were spoiling for a contest in order to flex their muscles.
The other account was that the committee option was just a ploy as there is no way those hell-bent on seeing Mr Sonko removed from office would have allowed it to stand as it would play to the hands of the pro-Sonko team. While it could have come as a surprise to those not in the know, the Wednesday happenings were a culmination of a long-drawn battle that began immediately Mr Sonko was impeached.
Former Senate majority leader Senator Kipchumba Murkomen took to Twitter, claiming that the impeachment was sponsored by the state, just as was the ouster of former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu.
He cast aspersions at the independence of the Senate, taking a swing at Mr Kilonzo Jr and Senate Minority Leader James Orengo and accusing the two of being at the beck and call of “powers above”. Narok Senator Ledama ole Kin lashed out at the Nairobi County Assembly for allegedly failing to obey court orders.
On Wednesday, the two senators were part of the brigade that opposed Speaker Ken Lusaka’s ruling that allowed some members to attend the sitting and vote virtually through the zoom platform.
Others were Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot and Mithika Linturi of Meru, who declared that it was not easy to ascertain who had logged in and voted, saying the process could be open for manipulation.
According to an inside source, high-level mobilisation by the Tangatanga wing forced a rethink after they convinced a majority of the senators to support the plenary option.
