Governor mike mbuvi sonko distances himself from disputed JamboPay contract during court proceedings at Milimani law courts
Former Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko’s lawyers have today moved to dissociate him from the disputed Web Tribe/JamboPay contract, maintaining that his administration has not been legally bound to continue with systems established by past regimes.
Testifying before the court, former Nairobi County Attorney Lydia Kwamboka has stated that Web Tribe was initially contracted by the now-defunct Nairobi City Council to provide electronic payment services. She has clarified that her office has only handled legal advisory and representation in civil cases, not criminal ones, and therefore, no legal proceedings have been initiated against the firm during her tenure.
The court has also listened to two recorded phone conversations between Sonko and a former ICT County Executive Committee Member. In one of the audios, Sonko has been heard instructing that the issue of JamboPay should not arise again, stressing that his administration would not inherit previous challenges. He has directed that Nairobi should adopt a new and effective revenue collection system.
In another recording, Sonko has expressed his dissatisfaction with the old system, noting that it has been in use for “over two decades.” He has accused unknown individuals of tampering with the software, claiming that the system was occasionally switched off, hindering county operations.
“Do your job and make sure you do the right thing,” Sonko has been heard saying in the clip, urging county officers to focus on improving services for Nairobi residents by embracing a reliable digital platform.
Backing Sonko’s position, former Finance CEC Allan Esabwa Igambi has testified that he was directly in charge of payments to service providers, including Web Tribe, which had a contract with the county government.
Igambi has further alleged that a former Solicitor General once tried to influence him to “get something that could implicate the governor.” He has told the court that he declined to pursue such an instruction.
Sonko’s defense has consistently argued that his government rejected the renewal of the JamboPay contract and instead opted for a transparent and upgraded revenue collection model.
The matter, which is before the Nairobi Anti-Corruption Court, involves Sonko, Anthony Otieno Ombok, and ROG Security Limited, who have all been charged with corruption-related offenses.
The hearing has been scheduled to continue next year.