Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has once again stepped into the spotlight as a mediator, pledging to intervene in comedian Sammy Kioko’s explosive dispute with Machakos County Government over an alleged unpaid Ksh19 million tender.
The drama unfolded live on Oga Obinna’s show, where both Sonko and Kioko joined via phone call. A visibly distressed Kioko narrated his ordeal, saying he had delivered uniforms to the county as per a duly awarded tender contract—but despite fulfilling all obligations, the county allegedly failed to pay.
“I have evidence of supply, documents, and all that stuff,” Kioko said emphatically, insisting he had followed every legal step.
The comedian alleged that instead of honouring the contract, some county officials were attempting to tarnish his name by claiming he was part of a political ploy engineered by the national government to undermine Governor Wavinya Ndeti. He described the accusations as baseless and an attempt to evade responsibility.
The financial strain, Kioko revealed, had forced him to shutter his clothing business. The situation turned dire when his sister fell seriously ill, requiring urgent medical treatment in India. In desperation, Kioko put up his car for sale to raise funds for her treatment, appealing publicly for quick buyers.
It was at this point that Sonko stepped in—offering both compassion and action.
“Maybe the County is broke,” Sonko said during the call. “We can however still talk to the governor and come up with a solution, even if it’s payment by installments.”
He assured Kioko and listeners that he would reach out personally to Governor Wavinya Ndeti to help untangle the stalemate. Sonko further invited Kioko to meet him in his office the following day to examine the documents and chart a practical way forward.
The controversy has since prompted an official response from Machakos County. Joseph Mathuki, the county’s head of procurement, confirmed that the company linked to the tender was indeed awarded a contract to supply uniforms.
However, Mathuki questioned Kioko’s legal standing in the matter, claiming the comedian’s name does not appear among the shareholders of the contracted firm. He accused Kioko of overstepping by speaking publicly on behalf of the company, saying due diligence must follow formal corporate procedure.
As the dispute gains national attention, pressure now mounts on Machakos County to clarify the status of the payment, while Kioko remains hopeful that Sonko’s intervention may finally break the stalemate.
Whether the tender payment will be settled—and whether Kioko’s evidence will withstand official scrutiny—now lies at the intersection of county bureaucracy, celebrity advocacy, and a man’s desperate need to save his sister’s life.
