Mike Sonko Cleared To Run For Mombasa Governor’s Race

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 14- Mike Sonko will be on the ballot contesting to succeed Hassan Joho as the Governor of Mombasa County.

This was after he was cleared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission after the High Court on Wednesday struck out a petition seeking to bar him from contesting.

Sonko was impeached as Governor of Nairobi over a myriad of allegations, among them corruption and abuse of office.

“I am in the race and I am confident I will win,”  he said after he received his clearance certificate from IEBC.

He will be running on a Wiper Party ticket, facing off counterparts within the Azimio coalition as well as from the Kenya Kwanza coalition.

“I am happy that our courts are effective,” he said.

He was flanked by dozens of supports, as well as his running mate Ali Mbogo.

Mbogo expressed confidence that they shall win the seat, held by Joho for 10 years.

Sonko will face off Abdulswamad Nassir of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), Hassan Omar of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party, and William Kingi of Pamoja African Alliance among other contenders.

Sonko has rated among the top contenders according to the latest polls.

“Politics of division and hatred are over now. Joho should now be ready to hand over,” Sonko said.