Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko and his team were on Wednesday, January 22, handed a lifeline after the High Court rejected an application to grant orders barring the nomination and vetting of Anne Kanana Mwenda as deputy governor.
A report published by Capital FM indicates that in response to the court's directive, county assembly speaker Beatrice Elachi went ahead to table Mwenda's name before the Committee of Appointments for consideration.
Elachi who had earlier refrained from the vetting process, along with other house representatives, are expected to commence the vetting after the court ruling cleared any doubt of illegality.
Representing the Director of Public Prosecutions, Peter Odhiambo Agoro argued that Sonko's timing of the nomination was questionable and a direct sabotage of public interest in the war against corruption.
DPP Noordin Haji had on January 8, moved to court to stop the embattled Nairobi governor from appointing a deputy, terming the move as illegal.
Haji argued that with the appointment, Sonko was in direct violation of his bail terms which barred him from fully executing the office of the governor, pending graft charges against him.
"Sonko cannot purport to have the powers to name a deputy while his case is still active. His action is null and void," Haji had argued
Sonko through a letter dated January 6, had nominated Mwenda for the position of DG, then presented it to the county assembly for vetting.
"Given the foregoing, and in the interest of ensuring stability Nairobi and the largest County by economy and population, I do hereby nominate Anne Kananu Mwenda to the position of Deputy Governor,” Sonko's letter read.
