Anne Kananu Mwenda, a city politician who was nominated as Deputy Governor by former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has received a reprieve after the petition barring her appointment is set to be withdrawn.
Peter Agoro, who had petitioned a Nairobi court in January 2020 to stop Mwenda's assumption of office has filed a motion to withdraw the petition on January 4, 2021.
The move is the latest legal twist in the complex process of replacing the impeached governor.
All eyes are now on the Judiciary, Nairobi County Assembly and lawyers to set the direction on whether the petition will be withdrawn, Kananu will be vetted and whether she will succeed Sonko.
The IEBC had already started preparing for a by-election in the city, even as politicians began throwing their hats in the ring.
Should the nominated deputy governor assume office, she is likely to take over reins and avoid the mini poll.
However, the process of finding a substantive governor had already kicked off with Nairobi Speaker Benson Mutura being sworn in as acting governor.
This comes just as the High Court suspended the Nairobi by-election until a petition challenging the impeachment of the former governor is heard and determined.
In his petition, Agoro argued that Mwenda's nomination contravened earlier orders issued against Sonko in December 2019.
Anti-Corruption Court Magistrate Douglas Ogoti had barred the former governor from accessing county offices unless accompanied by an investigating officer or any other authorised person.
Agoro claimed that the timing of the nomination was an act of self-preservation by Sonko.
Mwenda holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminology and Security Management with a major in Forensic and Criminal Investigation from the Dedan Kimathi University of Technology undertaken in 2016.
She has previously served at Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) as a Security Supervisor for 13 years and the Disaster Management Chief Officer in Nairobi County.
