NAIROBI, Kenya — Former Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko on Tuesday took the witness stand at the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court as he mounted his defence in a revived corruption case linked to procurement irregularities during his tenure at City Hall.
Appearing before Anti-Corruption Court Magistrate Charles Ondieki, Sonko gave sworn testimony and presented video evidence aimed at distancing himself from allegations of conflict of interest and related corruption offences.
The former governor told the court that the charges against him were an example of “corruption fighting back,” arguing that he had consistently opposed land grabbing and misuse of public resources long before becoming Nairobi governor.
As part of his defence, Sonko’s lawyers played video clips showing him intervening in alleged attempts to grab public land, including a school in Kamukunji and a water reservoir parcel in Loresho, during his time as Nairobi Senator. The defence argued that the footage demonstrated Sonko’s long-standing anti-corruption stance and undermined claims that he benefitted from corrupt procurement schemes.
Sonko was first charged in January 2020 with conflict of interest and related offences over alleged irregularities in the award of a revenue collection services contract for Nairobi City County. Prosecutors accused him of improperly influencing the procurement process while serving as governor.
The charges were amended in September 2020, and the prosecution proceeded with its case until July 2022, when it closed its evidence. In December 2022, the trial court acquitted Sonko after finding that the prosecution had failed to establish a case beyond reasonable doubt.
However, the Director of Public Prosecutions appealed the acquittal, arguing that the trial court had relied on the original charge sheet rather than the amended one when assessing whether Sonko had a case to answer. The High Court agreed, ruling that the trial magistrate had erred in law.
The appellate court subsequently referred the matter back to the trial court for a fresh determination based on the amended charges. After hearing new submissions from the prosecution, Magistrate Ondieki ruled on January 20, 2025, that Sonko had a case to answer, effectively reopening the trial.
The defence hearing began in May 2025, and Sonko testified on Tuesday as the 21st defence witness. The court heard that additional defence witnesses are expected to testify as the case proceeds.
