The high court in Meru has directed that the impeachment motion against Governor Kawira Mwangaza be referred to the Njuri Ncheke Council of Elders.
Justice Linus Kassan ordered that the court, which was supposed to give a ruling on Monday on the fourth impeachment proceeding against Mwangaza, will do so on August 20, 2024.
This is to give room for Alternative Dispute Resolution, as President William Ruto had ordered the Members of the County Assembly and the Governor to do.
"The Njuri Ncheke Supreme Council of Ameru Elders are hereby ordered to submit their resolution or lack of it on the dispute between the parties herein as directed by the President of the Republic of Kenya not later than three weeks from today," Justice Kassan ordered.
He further directed the MCAs and the governor to appear before the Njuri Ncheke with their advocates before Wednesday, July 31, 2024.
Mwangaza had moved to court on Wednesday seeking to obtain orders stopping the MCAs from proceeding with the fourth impeachment motion against her.
She claimed that the motion was a result of malice and a political witch hunt from her detractors.
She added that they had forged the signatures of the MCAs who supported her to attain the threshold for the motion.
Through her lawyer Elias Mutuma, she told the court that some cases which were meant to be evidence were still active in court.
In the past, the Njuri Ncheke Council of Elders has endorsed Mwangaza's impeachment.
In October 2023, after 57 out of 69 MCAs showed their support for Mwangaza's impeachment, Njuri Ncheke Secretary General Josphat Murangiri accused the Governor of operating as a lone ranger hence the support for her impeachment.
He said her actions have exacerbated the divisions within Meru County.
Murangiri said the elders will not support anyone who has violated the unity of the Meru people and their neighbours.
He endorsed Kawira’s Deputy Governor Isaac Mutuma to take over the leadership in case she loses her seat.
"We are supporting the impeachment of Kawira Mwangaza as she has disregarded the call to work with all leaders in Meru County," Murangiri said then.
