Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko’s run of bad luck seemed to have come to a temporary halt following his dramatic arrest.
Sonko heaved a sigh of relief upon being given his freedom after spending five days in police custody.
The embattled governor was granted a Ksh 15 million bail by Anti-corruption Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti.
Governor Sonko was more pleased when an attempt to re-arrest him was swiftly thwarted.
According to a local daily, the troubled politician was to be put in handcuffs for a second time and transported to Voi to answer to other charges.
Reports indicated that an unidentified government official intervened to spare the leader from another public humiliation.
Details emerged that the official called off the stakeout citing that the county boss had suffered enough.
Further news insinuated that the move was to prevent Nairobi from spiralling into a leadership crisis.
Before the cancellation of the plan, 15 police officers and four vehicles were deployed at Mlimani Law Courts with a helicopter in waiting if the plan was executed.
If the strategy had gone as planned, two of the cars with sirens, were to act as a diversion to draw away Sonko’s supporters.
The controversial politician’s followers would be duped into thinking that the governor was being transported from the court premises.
The remaining two were to later remove the Jubilee party member from the area and head to Wilson Airport where he would be airlifted to Voi.
The problem-laden Sonko and his legal team upon getting wind of the tactics, pitched camp at the court after the verdict was made.
It was proclaimed that the flashy governor was kept company by the likes of Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi, Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei and ex-Kipkelion MP Margaret Langat.
Sonko finally managed to leave the court in the cover of darkness in a Prisons Department ambulance after the officers guarding him received the call-off orders.
The three are mentioned to have paid off the cash bail to secure his release.
As the saga continues to unfold, Kenyans are left wondering for how long will Sonko’s ‘nine lives’ remain in play.
