- Mwangaza has been previously impeached twice by the Meru County Assembly but was on both occasions saved by the Senate for lack of sufficient evidence.
- Mwangaza was first impeached in December 2022 barely three months into office but the resolution was overturned by the Senate on December 30, 2022.
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A fresh impeachment motion has been tabled against Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza.
It is the third such motion seeking the ouster of the first-term governor.
The impeachment motion was tabled on the floor of the House on Wednesday by Meru County Assembly deputy majority leader Zipporah Kinya.
The Ward Reps seeking Mwangaza’s removal from office have levelled three counts against the governor.
These are alleged gross violation of the Constitution, alleged gross violation of various national and county laws and an alleged abuse of office.
“Public petitions have been presented to the county assembly including petition No. 5 of 2023 brought by 1,611 members of the public and statements have been sought by the members of the county assembly on the various gross violations and instances of abuse of office by the governor and recommendations made by the county assembly on the various gross violations,” Kinya said.
Kinya said several reconciliation efforts to resolve the issues raised by the public and members of the county assembly have failed to bear fruits prompting the tabling of the fresh ouster motion.
The deputy majority leader said the governor’s continued stay in office has hampered the efficient delivery of services to the people of Meru County and brought her office, the deputy governor's office, the assembly and its leadership and the people of Meru into disrepute.
“Hon Speaker, the assembly therefore resolves to impeach the governor of Meru under Article 181 of the Constitution, Section 33 of the County Governments Act and Standing Order No. 65 of the Standing Orders of the Assembly,” Kinya said.
Mwangaza has been previously impeached twice by the Meru County Assembly but was on both occasions saved by the Senate which dismissed the accusations levelled against her for lack of sufficient evidence.
Mwangaza was first impeached in December 2022 barely three months into office but the resolution was overturned by the Senate on December 30, 2022.
Mwangaza was again impeached on October 26, 2023.
The county assembly had accused her of misappropriation and misuse of county resources, nepotism and unethical acts, vilification and demeaning of other leaders, illegal appointments and usurpation of statutory powers.
Other accusations were contempt of court, illegal naming of a public road after her husband and contempt of the assembly.
All 59 ward reps present in the House supported a motion tabled by Majority Leader Evans Mawira.
The only 10 MCAs who opposed the impeachment motion were not present in the assembly.
An attempt by the governor's lawyers to stop the debate on technicalities was dismissed.
Speaker Ayub Bundi said that 64 out of 69 MCAs had appended their signatures to the ouster motion hence the impeachment process met the threshold needed for proceedings to continue.