The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has dealt a huge blow to impeached governors who are eyeing public posts in the just announced by-elections by the electoral agency.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, December 29, the EACC said that it considers a person disqualified from running for a public office if they have been dismissed from office or have misused and abuse state office in contravention of Chapter Six of the Constitution and the Leadership and Integrity Act, 2012.
”To this end, EACC will conduct integrity vetting of all candidates in the upcoming by-elections and communicate its determinations to IEBC for further action,” said the ant-graft commission’s Chief Executive Officer, Twalib Mbarak.
This comes amid upcoming by-elections announced by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission for Nairobi governor, Machakos senator, Matungu MP, Kabuchai MP and several ward polls set to be held in the first half of next year.
EACC’s announcement means that former Kiambu governor, Ferdinand Waititu, who had already thrown his hat in the ring to replace Mike Sonko, will not compete in the race against seven other aspirants for the City Hall job.
Waititu was impeached on January 29, this year when senators voted to uphold his dismissal by the Kiambu County Assembly on charges of abuse o office and other crimes.
The decision also means that whatever dreams the impeached Nairobi governor, Sonko, harboured of making a comeback in politics are shattered.
Being a Kamba, Sonko may have had fleeting moments in which he may have flirted with the idea of running for the Machakos senatorial seat left vacant in the wake of Senator Boniface Kabaka’s untimely death.
Just like Waititu, Sonko was sent home after senators voted to uphold his impeachment the Nairobi County Assembly on multiple charges related to gross violation of the Constitution, abuse of office and gross misconduct.
