Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has threatened to throw his weight behind UDA candidate Hassan Omar if his running mate Ali Mbogo is not cleared to vie for Mombasa governor.
Speaking on Thursday, Sonko said he would rather support Omar against ODM candidate Abdulswamad Nassir.
“It’s not about Sonko. Clear Ali Mbogo and let him be on the ballot, failure to which we shall support Hassan Omar. Take this to the bank,” he said.
Earlier in the day, the former governor had lost a bid to have his name included in ballot papers for the Mombasa gubernatorial race.
He had petitioned the High Court to compel the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to include him on the ballot.
However, a three-judge bench dismissed the argument by Sonko that he has an active appeal at the East Africa Court of Justice.
The court agreed with IEBC’s interpretation of the Supreme Court ruling that had found him constitutionally unfit to hold office.
Sonko had chosen Kisauni MP Ali Mbogo to be his running mate in the Mombasa gubernatorial race.
His dreams were, however, dimmed after the Supreme Court upheld decision by the Hight court and Court of Appeal that he was legally impeached.
Sonko then returned to the apex court asking the judges to set aside their own decision three days after the court dismissed the appeal against his impeachment.
In his application for review, he wants Chief Justice Martha Koome to recuse herself from the matter on grounds that she had made remarks suggesting that those impeached should not be allowed to run.
At the same time, the former governor has filed an appeal at the East African Court of Justice.
He says the decision of the Supreme Court and courts of Kenya was arrived at in an unjust manner.
Despite Sonko not being a member of Deputy President William Ruto led United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party, he said he might think of supporting its candidate.
“I am not in UDA, but maybe they will force us to that decision. Don’t punish everybody because of my mistakes," Sonko noted.
