Embattled Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has stated that President Uhuru Kenyatta’s sister called him asking him to nominate Jane Weru as the Deputy governor.
According to court documents, Sonko alleged that Christina Pratt Kenyatta called him just before he was impeached asking him to nominate Weru as the Deputy Governor and revoke the nomination of Anne Kananu Mwenda.
Sonko further alleges that the first family has been interfering with the affairs of Nairobi City County, both political and administrative, especially after the creation of Nairobi Metropolitan Services and the appointment of a military General to run the department.
The ex-governor says he withdrew the nomination following pressure from the first family and has attached in his court documents, audio clips and a transcript of his conversation with Pratt Kenyatta, the elder sister of President Kenyatta.
He adds that after the conversation with Pratt, he cancelled Kananu’s appointment and wrote to her and the County assembly of the decision on 7th December where mwenda confirmed receipt of the communication.
The former county boss wants the court to stop the Nairobi county assembly from vetting and approving Mwenda as the Deputy Governor. He terms attempt by the Acting Governor Benson Mutura and the county assembly to clear a candidate whose appointment was revoked as unconstitutional.
Justice Mumbi Ngugi blocked Mwenda’s vetting by the Nairobi City County Assembly after one Peter Odhiambo filed a case to stop the assembly from vetting her. However, Odhiambo later withdrew the case paving way for Kananu’s vetting.
Sonko contends that the imminent intention of the county assembly and speaker to appoint Kananu as the Nairobi City County Deputy Governor is null and void, and there is no basis in law to so act or move, as the nomination hitherto made by him of the said Kananu as the Deputy Governor of Nairobi City County was withdrawn.
He relies on the dictum that “An unconstitutional act is not a law; it confers no rights; it imposes no duties; it affords no protection; it creates no office; it is, in legal contemplation, as inoperative as though it had never been.” Hence no lawful appointment of Kananu as the Nairobi City County Deputy Governor stands.
Sonko wants Weru to be enjoined as the second interested party for being the person recommended by Pratt Kenyatta to assume the role and the capacity of the Nairobi City County Deputy Governor immediately prior to his impeachment.