Mike Sonko Joins Ruto's Kenya Kwanza Alliance
The second-in-command took to social media on Saturday, July 30 to share photos of him shaking Sonko's hand at his official residence in Karen, Nairobi.
Marvin Chege 
Former Nairobi Governor, Mike Mbuvi Sonko, has joined the Kenya Kwanza Alliance under Deputy President William Ruto.
The second-in-command took to social media on Saturday, July 30 to share photos of him shaking Sonko's hand at his official residence in Karen, Nairobi.
"We welcome Mike Sonko to Kenya Kwanza, the winning team," he wrote.
Mike Sonko with Deputy President William Ruto at his official residence on July 30, 2022. /DPPS
It was however not clear whether the former Nairobi governor has dumped the Wiper Party under Kalonzo Musyoka and which party he would be rooting for under the Kenya Kwanza alliance.
The move comes after he said that he would back United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate Hassan Omar in the race for Mombasa County Governor seat if his running mate, Kisauni MP Ali Mbogo, is not cleared to participate in the contest.
Sonko noted that he would rather ditch Wiper, which is under the larger Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance, to support Omar than back ODM candidate Abdulswamad Nassir, whom he termed as a State project.
"I was cleared alongside my Deputy Governor Ali Mbogo. The impeachment was for Sonko not for Mbogo. We are pleading with IEBC and the government to clear Ali Mbogo to vie as governor," said Sonko in an interview on TV47 on Thursday, July 28
"If they fail we are not going to support a puppet we will support Hassan Omar and UDA instead of supporting a puppet and a project."
Before his name was taken off the ballot for the Mombasa gubernatorial seat, he had handpicked Mbogo as his running mate.
Sonko's sentiments came after he was barred from holding any public office, contesting or being elected as the Governor of Mombasa or any other County.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) had also revoked his clearance to vie for the county seat in the August 9 general elections, according to a letter to him from the County Returning Officer for Mombasa County.
The decision came after the Supreme Court on Friday, July 15 ruled that Sonko was removed from the Nairobi County office fairly. It had dismissed his appeal on grounds that it lacked jurisdiction to determine it.
"In adherence to the Supreme Court judgement, you are therefore disqualified from holding any public office and thus disqualified from contesting and being elected as the Governor of Mombasa County or any other county. Your candidature is invalidated and your certificate revoked," read the letter in part.
Subsequently, the Supreme Court evoked Article 75(3) of the Constitution, which bars a person impeached from a public office from holding any other state office.
Sonko had prior to the move taken the matter to the East Africa Court of Justice (EACJ) to appeal the ruling.
