Meru MCAs hint at fourth impeachment motion against Governor Kawira Mwangaza
Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza.
What you need to know:
- Governor Mwangaza was first impeached in 2022 after barely four months in office.
- An MCA says they will soon draft another impeachment motion against Governor Mwangaza.
- The MCAs had indicated that their previous grounds for Kawira's impeachment are still valid.
The Governor of Meru, Kawira Mwangaza, is not out of the woods yet after a section of the County Assembly revealed that a fourth impeachment motion is in the offing.
Governor Mwangaza faced her first impeachment in 2022, barely four months into her term, before the process was halted by the court for lack of public participation.
However, the determined MCAs impeached the governor shortly after, before she was saved by the Senate in December 2022.
Ten months later, the MCAs filed another impeachment motion, but it was quashed by the Senate in November last year.
On Saturday, nominated MCA Secondina Kanini revealed that they would soon table another impeachment motion against Governor Mwangaza.
She spoke at the funeral of Meru Deputy Speaker Mwenda Ali's children Melissa and Patricia, who died in a road accident.
"What we need now is the support of the people of Meru because we will soon be going back to the Senate. This time, women leaders will be at the forefront of impeaching the governor. If she cries in the Senate, we will cry too," said Ms Kanini.
While she didn't specify the grounds to be used, the MCAs have previously indicated that their previous grounds for impeachment still apply.
In the last impeachment motion, the Meru governor was accused of misappropriation and misuse of county resources, nepotism and unethical acts, defaming and demeaning other leaders, illegal appointments and usurpation of statutory powers.
Other charges included contempt of court, illegal naming of a public road after her husband and contempt of the county assembly.
Majority Whip Jim Muchui, who is also Athwana MCA, said the 56 members were united and "ready to save the county government".
"We are down but not out. In fact, some of us are ready to lose our seats if that is what it takes to get Meru out of the mess," he said.
Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza (Centre) and her counsel Elisha Ongoya (Left) and Elias Mutuma (Right) before the Senate Nairobi on Tuesday, November 7, 2023.
But Minority Whip Dennis Kiogora, who is also Abogeta West MCA, warned against making public statements that could be used against them in the Senate.
"We know our job and we are ready to do it," Mr Kiogora said.
His sentiments were echoed by Majority Leader Patrick Mutuma.
Devolution Empowerment Party (DEP) Meru county secretary, Alhaji Mwendia, had sparked the debate by arguing that the county assembly was taking too long to impeach Ms Mwangaza.
"My request to the Assembly is that even though we lost the last impeachment attempt, let them give us another one. We are ready for the fourth and fifth impeachment," said Mr Mwendia.
Following last year's failed impeachment attempt, Governor Mwangaza has won the support of 13 members of the county assembly, leaving her without a majority to push through her agenda.
Since last year, the MCAs have sanctioned the executive on various issues, including recommending the impeachment of executive members for implementing programmes without approved policy documents.
They have also censured Governor Mwangaza for sidelining her deputy, Isaac Mutuma, and cutting off funding to his office.
As a result, the assembly, while passing the county's 2024 fiscal strategy paper, directed the finance executive to create a vote for the deputy governor's office and allocate Sh30 million.
"If the executive does not create a vote for the deputy governor, the assembly will create it and allocate the funds in the budget estimates," Mr Kiogora said earlier.
Ms Mwangaza is also at loggerheads with the MCAs for allocating Sh530 million to the Mechanical Trust Fund against the recommendations of the assembly.
A section of MCAs have also lodged a complaint with the Senate Committee on Devolution, accusing the executive of discrimination in implementing development at the ward level.
The revelations come as Njuri Ncheke elders and clergy launch an attempt to unite political leaders in Meru.
Njuri Ncheke elders met Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in early April and last week they met President William Ruto at Sagana State Lodge to seek his blessings in resolving the political impasse in Meru.
"The Njuri-Ncheke elders called on me at my home in Nyeri to discuss the conflict between their elected leaders - which has adversely affected service delivery in the county. After seven hours of deep and wide-ranging consultations, we agreed on a strategy to bring lasting peace to the county in the coming weeks. DP Gachagua said on his official Facebook page.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi also confirmed that the president had met with Njuri Ncheke elders and that plans were underway to find a solution to Meru's political woes.
"The president now understands the problems we have in Meru. The Njuri Ncheke elders and the clergy have been tasked with leading the peace process. This is because previous attempts have been scuttled by political interests," said Mr Linturi.
He commended the members of the county assembly for remaining united.
