Sonko’s life on fast lane comes back to haunt him

Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko. [File, Standard]

The year was 2010. The late Dick Wathika had just lost his seat after a successful petition by Reuben Ndolo and a by-election was in the offing. It was to be a tight fight. The men to watch, people assumed, were Ndolo and Wathika. They had the might that being in politics for long, gives. Gideon Mike Mbuvi, alias Sonko came in and tilted the seesaw and continued in the same trajectory without looking back.   

He came into politics as an unknown. He was a lean young man whose popularity was slowly rising in the Eastlands part of Nairobi. He had the money the youth yearned for, and he was generous. He had the vigour and fiery language that presented a new way of doing politics. His sheng’, the language of the people on the ground, was flawless. He dressed like them, spoke like them, ate with them, and dangled the promise of changing fortunes for them. He was one of them – or so he said – so they voted for him.

He came in with a bang. He punched walls, did somersaults on dusty ground, shouted himself hoarse and said to anyone who cared to listen that he was ready to go to jail for the rights of his constituents.

His political star was shining and he clung to the populist wave. When the 2013 elections came, it was a walkover for him. He had over 800,000 votes, beating his closest opponent Margaret Wanjiru and garnering more votes in Nairobi than his party leader and President Uhuru Kenyatta, to become city Senator. And in 2017, governorship came with a little turbulence, but like a man with a magic bullet, he won.

Weaknesses exposed

His critics say vying for Nairobi governor was his biggest blunder; as it exposed his weaknesses and made him a focus. As his political career grew, one thing about him remained constant. The flamboyance and flashy lifestyle.

Sonko lives life in full colour. He can show up for a formal meeting in rugged jeans and dyed out blonde hair or for a media interview in what looks like police regalia; complete with a peaked cap. Huge golden chains, studs on the ear, foreign accent, sharp suit, show of opulence in a room of chairs that have a golden touch – he has done it all. He never shies from beaming it all on his social media pages. Going live on Facebook is one of his hobbies.

There are people who think he is the face of a “new Kenya”, a representation of a breed of leaders not afraid of living out loud without care for the social norms. He knows the strings to strum to sway support of the masses especially those who live in informal settlements and are looking for any semblance of someone who fights for their rights.

Jail stint

In August, when he went on social media and announced that he will publicly shame all dead beat fathers, he was named “the hero” by a section of his social media followers. There are others who maintain that he is surly, troublesome and a rule breaker. The fact that he had a stint in jail for a past crime does not sit well with his critics.

“So what? Does it matter that I was in jail? I have been to Shimo la Tewa and Kamiti but so what?” he said in his recent interview with Radio Maisha admitting that he had a stint in prison but it was due to his failure to appear in court.

“My mother had died. I had a lot of problems…” he says.

Mystery surrounds circumstances under which he was arrested and how he got out. One thing that is for sure is that he never wants to talk about it. There have been reports that he faked an illness, while others say he sneaked out wearing a burqa.

Sonko claims he is an open book, and that he brings to light everything that he does. When he donates to the poor, he broadcasts it. When he fires employees, he goes with a recording crew. When he wants to prove that someone asked him for a bribe, he releases screen shots to his followers. In case of a disaster, he swoops in with his “Sonko rescue team” and immediately alerts the media that he is on a saving mission. When he adopts a baby, he chronicles his growth on his social media.

Source of wealth

One thing that he remains tight lipped about is the source of his wealth. Amid claims of money laundering and drug abuse, Sonko has never out-rightly addressed the most asked question: “At 35, when he was vying for MP, where did he get all the money he had?”

He had fleets of matatus plying the Buruburu route. They were colourful, hip and loud. With every new vehicle he bought, the question remained.

People are divided on his personality. His die hard fans find his erratic ways endearing. Others are uncomfortable with his preoccupation with staying young and relevant, as seen in the random videos he posts, like the one where he is dancing to the song “Parte after Parte” by Ugandan superstar Big Tril. His passion for bright jewellery and abusive language have also been termed as immature by many of his critics. People are divided on whether he was Nairobi’s worst mistake, but there is no denying that there are many who believe his rise is a fascinating story.