By Erick Ludeya
Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has shifted the focus of his defence in the ongoing Sh20 million graft case, squarely blaming what he described as a network of powerful individuals from the former regime for orchestrating his ouster from office.
Testifying before Magistrate Charles Ondieki, Sonko claimed that his impeachment and subsequent prosecution were not the result of lawful processes, but were instead part of a broader scheme by influential figures who wanted him removed from City Hall.
According to Sonko, the individuals—whom he described as politically connected and protected—held meetings at State House, where they allegedly summoned senior county staff and plotted strategies to bring his administration down.
He told the court that the same group had opposed his leadership from as far back as his time as a Nairobi Senator, claiming they consistently worked to frustrate his political rise and development agenda.
“Powerful individuals who were against my policies to develop Nairobi County, build new markets, improve infrastructure and alleviate the social well-being of Nairobians, ganged up to bring me down,” Sonko said.
Sonko claimed that the individuals influenced elected civic leaders to initiate processes that would lead to a vote of no confidence, which eventually culminated in his impeachment by the Senate.
He alleged that once he was removed from office, the same network created room for looters to take control of revenue streams and income-generating projects within the county.
The former governor told the court that his refusal to tolerate corruption at City Hall is what allegedly triggered the scheme against him.
He said he cancelled several contracts in the county’s revenue department and dismissed cashiers implicated in graft, claiming that millions of shillings were recovered from cashiers’ drawers at the end of every month after they interfered with automated revenue systems.
Sonko further alleged that the individuals he blamed for his ouster included land grabbers and well-connected figures who attempted to compromise senior county officials with bribes of up to Sh5 million each.
He told the court that the same group later approached him directly at his office and offered him Sh8 million to facilitate their interests, but he rejected the offer.
According to Sonko, he reported the matter to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), only for the Commission to later turn around and charge him.
“I declined the money and reported the matter, yet I am the one seated here as an accused person,” Sonko said.
Sonko argued that the court should interpret his impeachment and prosecution within the context of what he described as a coordinated political vendetta, driven by powerful individuals determined to remove him and protect their interests at City Hall.
He urged the magistrate to consider his testimony alongside that of his former executive team and senior revenue officials, insisting that his ouster was not accidental but the product of an elaborate plot by individuals threatened by his leadership.
