Meru County governor Kawira Mwangaza faced a second impeachment with 59 out of 69 Members of County Assembly (MCAs) voting for her ouster.
A motion tabled by Majority Leader Evans Mawira accused her of grossly violating the Constitution and County Government Act in relation to the use of public resources and management citing gross misappropriation and misuse of county funds.
The motion listed seven counts which include charges of nepotism, usurpation of roles belonging to the Meru County Public Service Board, contempt of the Assembly, inciting and insulting leaders in public meetings among others.
These allegations also include fraudulent funding and unrightfully employing family members and inclusion of relatives on a foreign trip while misrepresenting them as a ‘technical team’.
Mwangaza is also accused of bullying, vilifying, and demeaning other leaders, including her deputy governor Mutuma M’nthinkia.
The mover of the motion said it was the best gift they have given to the governor, adding that her continued stay in office had undermined effective service delivery and gravely hurt the interests of the people of the county.
“The Assembly resolved to impeach the Governor under Article 181 of the Constitution, section 33 of the County Governments Act, and Standing Order 65 of the Assembly,” Meru County Majority Leader Evans Mawira said.
The embattled Meru governor also faced another blow after appellate court judges led by Justice Luka Kimaru declined to issue conservatory orders to suspend the impeachment motion against Mwangaza pending a court ruling on the matter on Friday.
“We will not grant the interim orders herein now. Will need to consider all the submissions made by all parties. will render the ruling on the application for conservatory orders on Friday,” the Judges ruled.
The new impeachment comes barely a year after the governor was saved by the Senate from being removed from office on December 30, 2022, when she was impeached after only 64 days in office.
Last year, the ward representatives made a similar move that hit a snag after the Senate led by an 11-member Senate special committee chaired by Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale ruled that none of the 62 allegations levelled against her were substantiated.
This was after 67 of the 69 MCAs that were present in the Meru County Assembly voted to impeach her on December 14, 2023, on five grounds including abuse of office.
Bishop Kawira made history in the August 9, 2022, General Election when she floored two political giants, the then Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi and current Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi.
