Nearly six years after his dramatic removal from office, former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has launched a fresh legal battle seeking to overturn his impeachment, arguing that new evidence and a regional court decision have strengthened his push to return to elective politics ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Sonko says the latest developments have given him renewed confidence that his removal from office can be reviewed and his political rights restored.
Speaking on Tuesday, the former governor maintained that he remains eligible to contest for any elective position, arguing that a 2022 High Court decision that cleared him to vie for office is still valid because it was never successfully overturned.
“My eligibility to vie for any political position still stands,” Sonko said, referring to the July 13, 2022 ruling by a three-judge bench sitting in Mombasa that found he could seek elective office.
Sonko cited Article 193(3) of the Constitution, which states that a person is not disqualified from being elected if all avenues of appeal or review have not been exhausted.
He said he is now preparing to file an application seeking a review of his impeachment, based on what he described as fresh evidence that was not available during earlier court proceedings.
A key part of his argument is a decision by the East African Court of Justice (EACJ), which he claims faulted the manner in which the Supreme Court handled his appeal against his impeachment.
According to Sonko, the regional court found that his case was not handled in line with proper procedures, alleging that his legal team was denied adequate time to prepare submissions before the final judgment.
“I was given hours to file my submissions instead of the required 14 days, and my case was decided in a day,” he claimed.
The former governor also pointed to affidavits allegedly sworn by Michael Otada, who introduced the impeachment motion at the Nairobi County Assembly, and Abdi Guyo, who supported the motion.
Sonko claimed the two officials admitted that false information was used during the impeachment process, arguing that the alleged admissions amount to new evidence that should allow the case to be reopened.
“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,” Sonko said.
The former governor said he believes the review process will eventually lead to the reversal of his impeachment and allow him to participate in future elections.
Sonko’s latest move comes after his removal from the Nairobi governor’s office in December 2020. His impeachment was approved by the Senate and later upheld by the Supreme Court, effectively ending his tenure and creating uncertainty over his political future.
The renewed legal challenge places his political comeback among the issues likely to attract attention as political activity builds ahead of the 2027 General Election.
If successful, Sonko’s case could revive his ambitions for another elective position and reignite debate over whether leaders removed through impeachment can return to public office.