There was a three-hour stand-off as former Nairobi governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko’s and his team vowed not to leave the Kenya School of Government (KSG) Mombasa without being cleared to vie for the governor's seat.
IEBC had pitched tent at KSG where they were clearing candidates for various elective seats.
Sonko arrived at the Mombasa KSG at 2:15 pm, accompanied by his running mate Ali Mbogo, who is also the current Kisauni MP and former Matuga MP Chirau Mwakwere and hundreds of supporters.
Sonko's ambitions to be elected the next Mombasa governor in the August 9 General Election hit a dead end after IEBC denied him clearance.
Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Mombasa County Returning officer (RO) Swalhah Ibrahim disqualified Sonko from the race.
She said sonko failed to bring his original certified degree and stamped Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) clearance documents.
Swalhah also said the three-judge bench's decision to quash IEBC from disqualifying Sonko from vying, “did not order IEBC to clear Sonko to vie for Mombasa Governor seat”.
The decision of the court (three-judge bench) had quashed what the IEBC chairman had said but did not order the IEBC to clear Sonko, the IEBC officer argued.
"In as much the High Court quashed the decision of the chairman as you say, it did not give or direct the commission orders to accept his papers. We stand by the chair’s decision. Sonko is blocked," said Swalhah.
Sonko’s lawyer Titus Kirui accused Swalhah of contempt of court, saying that she was going against the orders of a three-judge bench.
“You are an agent of IEBC, but will be held personally responsible for going against orders issued by a three-judge bench,” said Kirui.
Sawalha also argued that Sonko had breached Article 75 of the constitution.
However, Kirui argued that Sonko has not been charged for that, therefore Swalha cannot peg on it her decision to disqualify Sonko.
The RO directed Sonko and his team to seek reprieve from the IEBC Dispute Resolution Committee, which will be sitting from June 10-19.
"I am ready to stand with and defend my decision at that point," she has said
