Senate Speaker Amason Kingi has revealed the charges tabled against embattled Meru County Governor Kawira Mwangaza.
The Senate is currently debating the charges brought by the Meru County Assembly, and among them are gross misconduct, gross violation of the constitution, and other laws.
In regard to the gross violation of the constitution charges, the MCA claimed that Governor Mwangaza violated Articles 10 (2), 27, 41, 47, 73, 232, 235, 236, and 251 of the Constitution by illegally revoking the appointment of CPA Virginia Kawira Miriti as Secretary/CEO of the Meru County Public Service Board without the requisite vote from the County Assembly, thus usurping the powers of the Assembly.
That she breached sections 10, 15, 19, and 24 of the Public Officer Ethics Act, 2003, sections 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13(1)(b), (f), 21, 29, and 52 of the Leadership and Integrity Act, 2012, and section 4 of the Public Appointments (County Assemblies Approval) Act by failing to appoint the Chairpersons of key county boards and allowing unauthorized persons to oversee public funds without proper accountability;
Further, the MCAs said she refused to implement the recommendations and resolutions of the County Assembly on the dismissal of the County Secretary, Dr. Kiambi Atheru Thambura, and the Chief of Staff, Mr. Harrison Gatobu Nchamba Mbithi, for gross violation of the Constitution and other laws and failed to submit a report to the County Assembly on the implementation of the said resolutions of the Assembly in direct violation of Article 183(3) of the Constitution.
The charges tabled in the senate said the governor illegally dismissed Dr. Ntoiti (CEO of the County Revenue Board), Paul Mwaki (CEO of the Liquor Board), Kenneth Kimathi Mbae (Managing Director of Meru Microfinance Corporation), and Joseph Kithure Mberia (CEO of MEWASS), contrary to the provisions of the Meru County Revenue Board Act and the Meru County Investment and Development Corporation Act, thereby leading to significant financial penalties by the Employment and Labour Relations Court against the County Government on account of legal costs and damages.
Further charges
In the gross misconduct particulars, the MCAs said the governor misled the public by falsely claiming that Kshs86,000,000.00 was raised through a Paybill number after the murder of Daniel Muthiani, while the actual amount raised was Kshs 286,516.00, in violation of the Public Officer Ethics Act and the Leadership and Integrity Act.
The third charge is violation of office, and the MCAs said the governor authorized irregular payments of emergency call allowances to 161 doctors and medical officers using the wrong rates, resulting in an overpayment of Kshs74,340,000, contrary to the Anti-Corruption and Economic Act and other relevant laws.
That she used a manual payroll to pay personnel emoluments amounting to Kshs102.94 million, contrary to established financial regulations in Section 6.7.6 of the County Financial Accounting and Reporting manual.
That the embattled governor employed a bloated workforce of at least one hundred and eleven (111) personal staff in her office, increasing the county wage bill beyond the legal limit, in violation of the Public Finance Management (County Governments) Regulations, 2015.
Finally, she continued to pay full salary and benefits to a public communication officer accused of murder, in violation of the Public Service Commission Discipline Manual for the Public Service.
