Elachi: Sonko’s choice for deputy to know her fate by end of January

Ann Kananu Mwenda, nominee for the position of Nairobi County Deputy Governor.

Nairobi Deputy Governor nominee Anne Mwenda will know her fate by the end of January when the Supreme Court is expected to decide on her nomination.

The Nairobi County Assembly sought a second advisory from the Supreme Court regarding her nomination as the county’s second in command. The assembly had first sought an advisory opinion after the governor was charged in court last month, creating a leadership vacuum.

County Speaker Beatrice Elachi on January 6 wrote to the Supreme Court seeking to know whether Governor Mike Sonko’s move to nominate Mwenda was in accordance with the law given that the governor had been charged and barred from office over the alleged loss of Sh357 million.

During a special sitting last week, the Speaker said she had sought the legal advisory opinion of the Attorney General and the Supreme Court regarding the nomination of the deputy governor.

Yesterday, Elachi told The Standard that the assembly was expecting the advisory from the Supreme Court by the end of this week, which would guide them on the next step.

“We expect the advisory by the end of this week or by next week, but by the end of January we must have the advisory because it will dictate what happens next to Nairobi....,” said Elachi.

She said that despite the Supreme Court having pronounced itself on the deputy governor’s issue in 2018, the assembly sought a fresh advisory that is specific to Nairobi’s case given its uniqueness.

Approve or reject

Once the assembly receives the advisory, it will debate the nomination of Anne Mwenda, choosing to either approve or reject it.

Mwenda is the chief officer of disaster management and coordination at City Hall. She is also the acting chief officer of water.

This is even as the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission is conducting investigations into the procedure used to nominate Mwenda as Nairobi deputy governor.

She was nominated by Governor Mike Sonko on January 6.