Political corrupt suspects on spot after court stops IEBC for clearing Mike Sonko

Mombasa High Court has temporarily stopped the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) from processing nomination papers for former Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko to vie for Mombasa gubernatorial seat.

Justice John Mativo on Thursday issued the orders stopping IEBC from clearing Sonko for August 9 elections pending the hearing and determination of an application by Haki Yetu, Kituo Cha Sheria and Transparency International who want Sonko disqualified from contesting.

The three organizations have alleged that there was a possibility for Sonko to be cleared by IEBC after Wiper party nominated him to be its gubernatorial aspirant in Mombasa County.

In their case, the organizations want Sonko to be barred from contesting for the gubernatorial seat saying that he was impeached as he was accused of gross violation of the Constitution and other laws, abuse of office, commission of crimes under the national laws and lacking the mental capability to run the county government, therefore not fit to hold any public office.

The court order to IEBC might cause uncertainty to other political leaders who are having similar cases and whose their cases were already determined or are in the Court of Appeal.

In Western, Sirisia MP John Koyi Waluke was found guilty for irregularly receiving Sh300 million from the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) in 2004.

The court sentenced MP Waluke for sixty-seven years in jail or pay a fine of Sh707 million.

However, the Sirisia legislator appealed to be released after spending three months in jail and his appeal is still in the court.

Later, he was released on Sh10 million and Sh20 million cash bail with his business partner Grace Wakhungu after spending three months in jail.

Though in the pending appeal, the two convicts wanted their conviction and sentence set aside and quashed on grounds that the said money their company received from NCPB was legal and not out of fraud as claimed by the prosecution.

The Director for Public Prosecutions advised IEBC not to clear corrupt suspects to vie for seats in the 2022 August polls.