Graft-accused governor defies court order
Publish date: 13 January 2020
Issue Number: 855
Diary: IBA Legalbrief Africa
Category: Kenya
Embattled Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has nominated Anne Mwenda to be his deputy, despite a court order barring him from conducting official county business pending the outcome of his case. As previously reported in Legalbrief Today, Sonko has been charged with 10 counts related to money laundering, receiving bribes and conflict of interest in a multi-m i l l i o n dollar scandal. He pleaded not guilty to all the charges when he was arraigned in court last month. Magistrate Douglas Ogoti barred him from accessing his office unless accompanied by investigators, and blocked him from appointing a deputy. ‘I will continue to abide by the bail terms granted to me, and ensure that the operations of the county are not affected in any way, to guarantee the great people of Nairobi uninterrupted services,’ Sonko said in the appointment letter. CapitalFM reports that Mwenda is serving as the COO of disaster management services at the county.