Sonko Unveils Running Mate After Getting the Wiper Ticket to Run for Mombasa Governor.

Sonko, who was impeached in Nairobi County, will be deputized by Ali Mbogo, Kisauni Member of Parliament who had been given a direct ticket by the Kalonzo Musyoka-led party earlier this year.

Kalonzo is said to have met with Sonko and Mbogo to end the standoff over the ticket that had gripped the party.

The development has now set the stage for a titanic contest between the Azimio coalition's Sonko and Mvita MP Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir, who has won the ODM ticket.

Hassan Omar, a former Mombasa senator, is the candidate of the Kenya Kwanza alliance.

On March 25, Sonko was formally welcomed to Wiper by party leader Kalonzo Musyoka. In his desire for a political return, he faced an integrity test, but the IEBC indicated that candidates with graft cases will be permitted to run.

His right to compete for an elective seat was debatable, given that the constitution allows for the disqualification of aspirants who are determined to have mistreated or abused a State post or public office in compliance with any legislation.

However, based on a 2013 High Court judgement that enabled Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto to run for office despite facing charges at the International Criminal Court, the electoral commission stated that it cannot bar anyone from contesting the August elections (ICC).

The Nairobi County Assembly impeached Sonko, and the Senate accepted the verdict, sealing his doom. Sonko's attempts to reverse the verdict were unsuccessful. His Supreme Court appeal, on the other hand, is still pending.

In an affidavit, the IEBC stated that because a person is deemed innocent until proven guilty, there is no need to intervene with judicial proceedings.

“The commission understands the court's decision in the case against President Kenyatta and DP Ruto that we must strike a balance between the right of an individual to contest in an election and the presumption of innocence of any accused person,” IEBC’s affidavit read.