Former Nairobi Governor, Mike Sonko, has resigned from the ruling Jubilee Party.
In a statement to newsrooms on Friday, March 11, Sonko notified the Jubilee leadership that he was no longer willing to continue as a member of the President Uhuru Kenyatta's party.
"Please accept this letter as my formal notice of resignation as a member of the Jubilee Party effective 10th March, 2022. This is in exercise of my rights to belong to a political party of my choice as enshrined in the Constitution of Kenya," he wrote.
The former Governor cited lack of support from the party during his ouster in 2020.
Sonko was impeached from office after he was accused of corruption and abuse of office, allegations he termed as ridiculous.
Sonko went ahead to thank the party officials who stood with him when the ouster motion was brought before the County Assembly and the Senate.
“I would like to thank the party leadership for this support that they provided me while I was serving as a Governor of the Nairobi City County before I was illegally, unconstitutionally, unlawfully and maliciously removed from office and hope they can help change this country for the better," read part of his letter.
In his resignation letter, the former Governor went ahead to wish the party members well in their political careers.
After his impeachment, his position was taken by Anne Kananu, who has also declared interest in the position.
The move comes just days after the United States government through the State Department banned him and his immediate family from entering America over what the President Joe Biden government termed as being involved in corruption during his tenure as Governor.
Sonko, however, distanced himself from the allegations, instead accusing the US government of being malicious and playing politics.
The ban followed less than a week after he announced that he was in the race to recapture his seat in the August 9 elections. Although he did not disclose much details, the former Governor is seen as one of the strongest aspirants in the city county.
Should he be cleared to run for the position he held for almost three years, he will face off with outgoing Westlands Member of Parliament, Tim Wanyonyi, billionaire businessman Richard Ngatia and Senator Johnson Sakaja, all who have expressed interest in the position.
