Who is Mike Sonko?
Mbuvi Gidion Kioko Mike Sonko commonly known as Mike Sonkoor simplySonko(Shengfor "rich person" or "boss"), is the immediate former Member of Parliament for Makadara Constituency,Kenya. He was elected on September 20, 2010 in a by-election
His Birth and Background
Mike Sonko was born on February 27 1975. Sonko spent his early years in crime, from mugging people in the streets of Mombasa to becoming a major international drug lord. He is a notorious jail breaker, having escaped from Shimo La Tewa Prison under unclear circumstances. His thuggish, often garish mode of dressing has only reinforced this imageof a gangster.
Before Parliament
Before Mike Sonko joined parliament, he used to operate a fleet of matatus (Public vehicles) in Eastlands.
His Family
Family ManMike Sonko is married and has three daughters namely; Saumu, Salma and Sandra.
His Wealth
Mike Sonko’s wealth is traced to Mombasa where he was born and educated. There, his father ran a property and real estate agency, Pelly Properties, which he co-owned with another businessman.
At the time, his father and business partner split Pelly Properties. Mike Mbuvi’s father started Gidson Properties where the young man, fresh from school, was the sales and marketing manager. Sonko relocated to Nairobi in 1994 where he bought eight matatus, which plied the Kibera route. He bought morematatus, which plied route 42 to Dandora and Umoja. He operated matatus in Dandora and Umoja from 1994 to 1997. “I was also buying and selling plots and residential houses,” says Sonko.After 1997, he bought minibuses and began operating his matatu business in Buru Buru where his first minibus was christened ‘Ruffcuts’. He later bought two buses, one double-decker, for a tours and travel business.Because of helping the youth when in trouble with the police, and ensuring the arrest of a senior traffic policeofficer due to harassment and alleged extortion, among other things, he became the chairman of the Eastlands Matatu Association. There were more than 5,000 matatus, under him. He gained popularity in 2007 after going to court when Eastlands matatus were denied access to the Central Business District. The Government then decreed that the matatus stop at the Muthurwa market and bus terminus.Mbuvi said he has since diversified his business. He bought Club Casurina in Buru Buru as well as cyber cafes, salons, boutiques, and phone and accessories shops in Nairobi.
His Education
After completing primary school at Kikowani Primary School in Mombasa, Mbuvi started getting more involved in his father’s business. At the time he was a student at Kwale High School, Kwale County. “My father was a developer and used to sell beach plots at the Coast to European buyers. He made good profits because he bought the plots cheaply,” Mbuvi told The Standard On Sunday. He said he made Sh5 million working for his father when he was in Form Four in Kwale High in 1991. Despite qualifying to go to university, he decided business was his calling. Instead, he took a course in Business Administration and Management at Edxcel International School in Mwanza and Pwani Business College.
Mike Sonko Election to Senate
Mbuvi became the First Senator of Nairobi after it was announced that, with 808,705 votes, beat his closest competitor,Margaret Wanjiru of the Orange Democratic Movement, who had garnered 525,822 votes, in theNairobi senatorial election of 2013
Mike Sonko's contacts
Mike Sonko Contacts – Mike Mbuvi Sonko Contacts
Parliament Buildings Parliament Rd. P.O Box 41842 – 00100 Nairobi, Kenya
EMAIL: mikemsonko@gmail.com
EMAIL:mikemsonko@yahoo.com
TEL:0722886600
TEL:0739111999
Mike Sonko Twitter: https://twitter.com/MikeSonko
Mike Sonko Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mike-Sonko-148950081810015/
