Political Consultant, Strategist and Lobbyist Boy Sammy Boy has argued that former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko can still vie for elective office, saying his impeachment-related legal avenues have not been fully exhausted.
Speaking on Political Ringside, Sammy Boy said the constitutional position should be considered alongside ongoing court proceedings involving impeached leaders.
He argued that an impeachment should not automatically lock a leader out of an election while a legal challenge or review remains unresolved.
“Courts no longer have jurisdiction for determining eligibility for elections. It is IEBC” argued Sammy Boy.
The seasonal analyst pointed out that Governor Sonko had been cleared by IEBC during the 2022 general elections after a three judge bench ruled in his favor at Mombasa Law Courts.
Sammy Boy said Sonko and other impeached leaders should be allowed to pursue their political ambitions until all available legal avenues have been exhausted.
Sonko’s eligibility debate
The debate centres on Article 193(3) of the Constitution, which provides that a person is not disqualified from election under Article 193(2) unless all possibility of appeal or review of the relevant decision has been exhausted.
Sammy Boy relied on this provision in arguing that Sonko can still vie, pointing to the former governor’s continuing efforts to challenge aspects of his impeachment.
Sonko was removed from office in 2020, and the Supreme Court later upheld his impeachment in July 2022. In 2024, the Supreme Court dismissed a subsequent application by Sonko seeking to introduce additional evidence and review its earlier judgment.
However, Sonko has continued to pursue avenues challenging his removal. In July 2026, he said he was preparing a fresh application to review his impeachment, citing what he described as new evidence and developments arising from the East African Court of Justice.
Sammy Boy backs impeached leaders
Sammy Boy said the same principle should apply to other leaders who have been removed from office through impeachment.
His argument is that their eligibility should be determined after all applicable appeals and reviews are concluded, rather than immediately after an impeachment decision.
The constitutional provision cited in the debate states that “all possibility of appeal or review” must be exhausted before the relevant disqualification takes effect.
The issue has gained renewed attention ahead of the 2027 General Election as political leaders assess whether impeached officials can return to elective politics.
Sammy Boy’s position is an interpretation of the constitutional and legal debate. Final eligibility for a particular candidate would ultimately depend on the applicable law and any binding court decisions in force at the time of nomination.