Senate To Decide Mwangaza's Fate Following Impeachment
Senate Speaker Amason Kingi is set to convene a special sitting...
Marvin Chege 
The Senate is set to be recalled from its recess that was meant to last until February 2023 for a special sitting to determine whether Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza's impeachment should stand or not.
Senate Speaker Amason Kingi is set to convene the special sitting after confirming that he received impeachment documents from the Meru County Assembly.
“Please note that the Speaker shall call for a Special Sitting of the Senate to read out the charges and resolutions of the county assembly against the governor," read a statement from the Senate dated Thursday, December 15.
"The Senate’s consideration of the impeachment shall commence, as per the third schedule of the Standing Orders and Section 33 of the County Government’s Act."
Senate speaker Amason Kingi during his maiden speech on September 8, 2022. /STANDARD DIGITAL
Mwangaza's future at the top Meru County seat will be decided by the 11-member committee or the Senate in plenary, where they will either substantiate or dismiss the allegations within 10 days.
Meru County Assembly Speaker Ayub Bundi wrote to Kingi notifying him of Mwangaza's impeachment that came after all 67 Members of the County Assembly (MCA) approved her ouster through a vote.
"This is to inform you that on Wednesday, December 14, 2022, during the Afternoon Sitting of the County Assembly of Meru, vide a Resolution of the Assembly, and pursuant to the provisions of Article 181 of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, Section 33 of the County Governments Act, 2012 as read together with the provisions of Standing Order No. 65 of the County Assembly of Meru Standing Orders, approved the motion to remove from office the Governor of Meru County by way of impeachment.
"The purpose of this letter is to therefore inform you of the aforesaid resolution, and to forward the same to your esteemed office in line with the provisions of Section 33 (2) (a) of the County Governments Act, 2012 and Standing Order No. 65 (6) of the County Assembly of Meru Standing Orders for your further action. Attached herewith please find a schedule containing the bundle of documents/records containing the evidence adduced, notes and records of the proceedings before the County Assembly for your reference and records.," the letter read.
The second impeachment motion against her came days after the Meru High Court suspended the first impeachment motion filed against her. Justice Wamae Cherere ruled on Wednesday, November 30 that the County Assembly did not follow the proper procedure in initiating the motion.
The motion was tabled by the leader of the Minority Dennis Kiogora who presented video clips among other pieces of evidence to back his accusations against the Governor.
When the MCAs initiated the debate to impeach her, Mwangaza refused to show up before the Assembly to defend herself.
Minutes after her impeachment, Mwangaza on her part spoke of how the MCAs wasted large amounts of money and energy in Public Relations (PR) stunts and public engagements to ensure that their wish to kick her out was realised.
She however described the move as a game changer for her, proving that she was still unshaken and that blessings were to follow after the attacks.
“They have used millions of money, sleepless nights, a lot of energy, sponsored headlines, engaging the public seriously and connections with different types of people. Just to confirm what God wants them to do, a spiritual mission,” she said.
Baichu was over the moon following his wife's ejection, celebrating her name being among the top Twitter trends even hours before the impeachment was announced.
The governor is accused of nepotism, illegal appointments, unlawful dismissals, usurpation of constitutional and statutory functions, incitement, bullying, vilification and misleading campaigns against other leaders. Other accusations are forceful entry into the assembly and mobilizing unlawful riots against MCAs, violation of public finance management laws and misconduct relating to the nomination of CECs.
The appointment of her husband Murega Baichu to two county jobs; the patron of Meru Youth Service and the Ambassador to Meru's hustlers without a salary also formed the basis of grounds to impeach her.
If the Senate upholds her impeachment, Mwangaza will be the first governor to be impeached in the Kenya Kwanza administration under President William Ruto, having barely lasted three months in office.
Five governors including Governors Mwangi wa Iria, Paul Chepkwony, Granton Samboja and the late Nderitu Gachagua have in the past survived impeachment motions on a technicality and lack of sufficient evidence. Former Embu Governor Martin Wambora for instance was impeached twice by the Senate in 2014 but stayed in office after the Court annulled the decision.
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