Sonko Tells Court Budget Dispute Was Central to His Impeachment

Former Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko has told the anti-corruption court that his refusal to sign a Nairobi County budget was at the centre of his dispute with the national government and preceded his impeachment.

Sonko said he declined to approve the budget after consulting the county attorney and his lawyers, who advised him that there was no clear legal framework for the county to finance some functions that had been transferred from the national government.

Sonko Explains Budget Dispute

According to Sonko, the transferred functions included transport and infrastructure, health, education and housing.

He told the court that signing the budget without what he considered an adequate legal framework could expose him to personal liability in the future.

Sonko said he subsequently discussed the issue with then-President Uhuru Kenyatta and explained the reasons behind his decision not to sign the budget.

He maintained that the disagreement over the county budget became one of the issues that contributed to his eventual removal from office.

Former Governor Defends Impeachment Record

Sonko also defended his conduct during the impeachment proceedings, saying he opposed the process because he believed it was politically motivated and inconsistent with the law.

He recalled that the proceedings were televised and claimed that about 76 Members of the County Assembly were initially supporting his position.

The matter subsequently proceeded to the Senate, where Sonko said allegations emerged that some senators had been offered money to vote in favour of his removal.

Those claims were presented as part of Sonko's account of the impeachment proceedings.

The Supreme Court has previously upheld Sonko's impeachment. In a 2024 decision, the court also rejected his application seeking to reopen its earlier judgment, finding that the requirements for a review had not been met.

Sonko Discusses Nairobi Development Disputes

During his testimony, Sonko was also questioned about his opposition to the demolition of structures and various development projects in Nairobi.

He linked some of the disputes to what he described as investments associated with members of the former first family, mentioning entities including Home Choice Holdings Limited and Northlands.

Sonko was asked to explain the interests he believed were connected to the former first family and why those interests were relevant to his decisions concerning certain developments in Nairobi.

He also defended his popularity among Nairobi residents at the time, arguing that his political support influenced his position on decisions that he believed could affect the people who elected him.

Sonko Defends Opposition to Demolitions

The former governor further explained his opposition to some demolitions in Nairobi, saying affected residents should have been consulted before structures were removed.

He maintained that his decisions were based on his interpretation of the law and what he regarded as his responsibility to protect the interests of Nairobi residents.

Corruption Case Moves Through Defence Stage

Sonko is currently defending himself in an ongoing anti-corruption case arising from alleged irregularities involving Nairobi County tenders.

In April 2026, the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court ruled that the prosecution had established a case to answer on several counts and placed Sonko and his co-accused on their defence. The court, however, acquitted him on a money-laundering count after finding that the prosecution had not presented sufficient evidence to sustain that charge.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has also confirmed that Sonko has been giving evidence in the long-running City Hall corruption proceedings.

Sonko has continued to deny wrongdoing and is using his defence testimony to challenge the allegations against him.

The proceedings remain ongoing.