By-election: Nairobi Gubernatorial race set for Feb. 18th 2021
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has set February 18, 2021 as the date for the by-election to replace Mike Sonko as Nairobi Governor following his impeachment.
IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati, in a gazette notice, directed political parties intending to participate in the by-election to submit the names of the persons contesting in their party primaries and the date of the said primaries on or before Monday, December 28, 2020.
Chebukati also directed political parties intending to present candidates in the election through direct nominations to submit the list of persons nominated on or before Monday, January 11, 2021.
Kenya’s seat of power and richest county is now headed to a by-election billed to be the fiercest contest ever seen for such a race in the country’s history.
Yesterday, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) announced that February 18 will be the day that will determine who replaces Mike Sonko following his impeachment a week ago.
Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko during his impeachment debate at parliament buildings on December 17, 2020. [Elvis Ogina,Standard]
In a gazette notice, the commission has directed political parties seeking to participate in the by-election to submit names of individuals contesting in the party primaries by December 28.
Following the impeachment, Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Benson Mutura was sworn-in as the county’s acting governor, assuming the role for 60 days.
Chebukati has told all parties intending to participate in the by-election to submit the list of nominated persons to the commission by January 11, 2021 after listing its primaries.
“Political parties intending to present candidates in this election shall, after its primaries, resolve all intra-party disputes and submit the list of persons nominated to the commission.
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The campaigns in the run-up for the top county seat will start on January 18, 2021, and end on February 15, 2021, just 48 hours before the poll.
“Come back home, we’ll make you Nairobi county governor”, Miguna told
Exiled Kenyan-Canadian lawyer Miguna Miguna has been adviced to come back home so that the citizens of Nairobi elect him as their governor after he declared interest following the impeachment of Mike Sonko.
Miguna said he will contest in the expected mid-February Nairobi gubernatorial by-election.
Sonko ‘moves on’
In a series of tweets, Miguna said he has decided to run in the upcoming mini poll after getting legal advice from Waikwa Wanyoike, a constitutional lawyer and co-founder of Katiba Institute.
“Having received competent legal advice from @waikwawanyoike on Dec. 19, 2020, I, Miguna Miguna, a Kenyan citizen by birth and registered voter in Nairobi, hereby declare my candidature for the position of Governor of Nairobi in the upcoming by-election. Volunteers are welcomed,” Miguna wrote on Twitter.
THE STANDARD By
Editorial |
December 22nd 2020 at 09:10:00 GMT +0300
Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Benson Mutura
(pictured) was yesterday sworn in as Acting Governor. He will fill the void left by Mike Sonko after the latter’s impeachment by MCAs was upheld by the Senate last week.
Ideally, the deputy governor should have taken over the leadership, but Sonko did not appoint a new deputy after Polycarp Igathe resigned in January 2018.
Sonko had a strained relationship with the national government after the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) was formed and took charge of the health services, planning and development, transport services and public works in February this year.