Former Nairobi County Governor Anne Kananu and her predecessor Mike Sonko seem to have rekindled their friendship after a messy fallout that followed the latter’s ouster as city boss.
In a post on his verified social media pages on Tuesday, September 21, Sonko shared a photo enjoying a drink with the immediate former Nairobi governor.
Sonko and Kananu reconcile
In the caption, Sonko told his millions of followers that there are no permanent enemies in politics and urged Kenyans to embrace each other going forward.
“There’s no permanent enmity in politics let’s embrace each other going forward,” Sonko stated.
There’s no permanent enemity in politics let’s embrace each other going forward. pic.twitter.com/o7S9dU0NHG
— Mike Sonko (@MikeSonko) September 27, 2022
The duo’s once cordial relationship disintegrated last year after Sonko accused Kananu of colluding with a section of the political class to destroy his successful political career.
The controversial former city boss threatened to post disparaging videos and audio clips about Kananu on social media, to ostensibly expose her supposed dealings with her ‘political masters’.
Aggrieved, Kananu moved to court and obtained orders barring Sonko from posting any videos, comments, texts or materials defaming her.
“Respondents by themselves are hereby restrained by an order of temporary injunction from further writing, printing, publishing, circulating, disseminating or causing to be written, printed, published, circulated, disseminated in any manner whatsoever any, audio and/or video recordings, words and statements that are defamatory and/or disparaging in any manner whatsoever to the Applicant,” Milimani Law Court Magistrate Heston Nyaga ordered.
In the yet-to-be-determined matter, Kananu accused Sonko of a deliberate attempt to tarnish her name.
Sonko nominated Kananu as his deputy in January 2020 after he was blocked from office over his implication in Ksh357 million graft case.
He cited a need for continuity as a reason for nominating Kananu to replace Polycarp Igathe, who resigned after ‘failing to earn the then governor’s trust’.
The former Nairobi Disaster Management and Coordination Chief Officer’s appointment was however challenged in court delaying her vetting and subsequent swearing-in.
Sonko would later be impeached from office in December of the same year, complicating governance matters at City Hall.
In intrigues that followed, Kananu accused Sonko of sponsoring the case filed by Peter Agoro, to ostensibly block her from succeeding him after his ouster.
She was, however, sworn in as deputy governor and later governor in November 2021 after Agoro withdrew the petition challenging her appointment.
