DNK International By Elizabeth Were.
Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has mounted a spirited defence in Sh20million graft case against him claiming that his prosecution was orchestrated by powerful individuals in the former regime .
According to Sonko the individuals were opposed to his firm stand in the fight against graft at city hall.
Testifying before the trial Magistrate Charles Ondieki, Sonko told court that the charges he is facing were not grounded in law but were instead politically engineered to punish and silence him for taking on entrenched interests within the county government.
The former Governor said the powerful forces held meetings where they called senior staff in his county government to plot for his downfall.
Sonko asked the court to consider the totality of the testimonies he has presented various executive members of his government and top revenue collectors who defended his management on zero tolerance on corruption.
“Powerful individuals who were against my policies to develop Nairobi county,build new markets, improve infrastructure and alievate the social well-being of Nairobians, ganged up to bring me down”, he told court.
Sonko said his opponents began to shoot down his efforts even when he was Nairobi Senator.
He said that elected civic leaders were swayed to bring bills to pass vote of no confidence which culminated to the Senate impeaching him to creating room for looters who descended on revenue and income earning projects in the county government.
Sonko said he did not take things lying down and her terminated contracts in the revenue department and sacked cashier’s involved in graft.
He said millions of shillings were recovered from cashiers drawers during month ends after they interfered with automated revenue systems.
He maintained that his tenure as governor was marked by a firm stance against graft, a position that, he said, earned him powerful enemies.
Sonko alleged that “individuals he described as land grabbers and well-connected figures attempted to compromise senior county officials by offering them bribes of up to Sh5 million each.”
He further claimed that the same group later approached him directly at his office, offering him Sh8 million to facilitate their interests.
Sonko revealled he rejected the offer and opted to report the matter to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
He expressed surprise that the very agency he claimed to have alerted about the alleged bribery attempt later turned around and charged him in court.
“I declined the money and reported the matter, yet I am the one seated here as an accused person,” Sonko told the court, insisting that he was being unfairly targeted.
However, he told the court that he had previously moved to challenge related court orders and successfully had them set aside, a move he said further aggravated those opposed to him.
The former governor urged the court to look beyond the charges and consider the broader context in which the case arose, arguing that it was driven by malice and political vendetta rather than genuine efforts to fight corruption.
Sonko is facing charges related to the alleged misuse of public funds amounting to Sh20 million.
[DNK-International@February 5,2026]
