Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza Impeached Again

Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza has been impeached for the second consecutive time by members of the Meru County Assembly.

59 MCAs voted overwhelmingly in support of the motion while none voted against the motion and none abstained from the vote.

A motion of impeachment was tabled by the Majority leader Evans Mawira of Mitunguu ward which was supported by 57 MCAs who appended their signatures prior to the vote.

The MCAs backing the motion had retreated on Monday, October 23 to write a report after conducting a public participation exercise as required by the law.

Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza weeps during the proceedings of her impeachment case in December 2022. /X

Meru MCAs previously cited seven violations committed by Mwangaza as grounds for another attempt at impeaching her from the top county seat, including one that addresses her working relationship with Meru Deputy Governor Isaac Mutuma.

Four of them are similar to allegations made against Mwangaza last year. They include charges of nepotism, usurpation of roles belonging to the Meru County Public Service Board, contempt of the Assembly, inciting residents against other leaders, and making insulting remarks against them.

The representatives listed various accusations against the governor, claiming that she had grossly violated the Constitution and County Government Act in relation to the use of public resources and management.

Mwangaza is also accused of bullying, vilifying, and demeaning other leaders, including her deputy.

Prior to her impeachment motion on Wednesday, Mwangaza asked Kenyans to pray for her.

"Please pray for our County of Meru. Please Pray For Me. Pray for justice," she stated on her Facebook page.

Earlier, the Nyeri Court of Appeal declined to stop the Meru County Assembly from debating on Governor Mwangaza's ouster motion. She had moved to the Court of Appeal to challenge the ruling of the Meru High Court against her to stop the assembly from debating on her removal from office, saying the matter was not urgent.

Justice Aggrey Muchelule and two other judges on Wednesday moved the ruling of the matter to October 27. Marius Maranya, one of the lawyers representing the county assembly argued that the court being a constitutional organ did not have the mandate to stop another constitutional arm – the assembly – from carrying out its mandate.

He submitted that the assembly impeachment process could not be carried out any other day if postponed.

Mwangaza who was not present in the house was Represented by a battalion of seven lawyers led by lawyer Danstan Omari.

She will now have to rely on the Senate again to save her from being the first governor in President William Ruto's first term to be kicked out of a county office in Kenya, after the Senate dismissed a decision by Meru MCAs to kick her out of office on December 30, 2022.

Senator Boni Khalwale's led committee tabled a report on the floor of the house. The Senate resolved to form an 11-member committee to investigate Governor Mwangaza following her impeachment by the Meru County Assembly on December 14, 2022.