•Sakaja linked his degree saga to efforts by his political foes to lock him out of the race.
•The senator said he will not be cowed to quit adding that he understands the political game so well to be elbowed out.
Nairobi senator Johson Sakaja has claimed that he has been told to step down from the Nairobi governor race or face consequences.
In an interview at Spice FM on Friday, Sakaja linked his degree saga to efforts by his political foes to lock him out of the race.
“As recent as last week, people were sent to me, telling me ‘you know, it’s going to be very bad for you in cuffs, just go for a holiday, say you’re sick, step down from this race and we’ll make all these things go away.’ And they’ve used very close friends, they’ve used a very close Senator to me,” he said.
The senator, however, maintains that he is in the race for Nairobi governor till the end.
He said he will not be cowed to quit adding that he understands the political game so well to be elbowed out.
“They warned me of consequences. So I’m not whining, I’m facing it head-on. I know what’s happening, I know the plan, and I understand the game so well. But ultimately we keep our eye on the prize. I just want to say emphatically that I will not step down, I am properly on the ballot and God willing I’ll get elected,” he stated.
“I understand how these guys operate, that’s why I’m very calm. For the last 8/9 years, I have been at the centre of political strategy for that side. So I know who says what, who uses what approach, and who pushes what agenda.”
During the same interview, Sakaja defended his Team University degree, saying the document is legit.
He termed the ongoing probe on his degree as a political witch hunt which he said he will deal with in the same way.
CUE on Thursday revoked Sakaja's degree for the second time.
The commission said the Teams University degree is not eligible for consideration since he failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove he acquired his degree procedurally.
In a letter to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, CUE said by the conclusion of investigations into the authenticity of the degree issued by Team University in Uganda, the governor aspirant had not submitted any proof.