President William Ruto’s decision to remain impartial in Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza’s impeachment sealed her fate.
This is despite pressure from the governor’s camp and her opponents.
The development comes even as the court granted Mwangaza a sigh of relief hours after senators voted to uphold her impeachment.
The High Court stayed the implementation of the Senate resolution – to uphold her ouster – pending hearing and determination of the case.
The order came hours after Senate Speaker Amason Kingi gazetted Mwangaza's impeachment, technically rendering the county boss jobless.
While voting at the Senate went late into Tuesday night, Kingi's gazette notice was dated August 20 and published on August 21.
The Star has established that Ruto was under intense pressure from the opposing camps who camped on his door for the better part of Tuesday.
Sources familiar with the behind-the-scene happenings said a team of top political leaders from Meru camped at State House to persuade the President to steer clear of the case.
At the same time, a group of women governors attempted to convince the head of state to instruct his Kenya Kwanza troops to save the county boss.
Senators allied to the ruling alliance teamed up to remove Mwangaza from office in a late-night voting session marred with controversy and drama.
“What Meru leaders wanted was the President’s impartiality. Once they got that, they knew they would play the other part (convince senators to vote her out),” the source said.
Soon after securing the President’s assurance, the leaders immediately engaged a senior Kenya Kwanza leader who whipped his colleagues to vote out the governor.
“They knew if the information came from the official, then that was an order from State House. So all of us had to follow,” the source said.
“By 2pm, we had mobilised 28 senators. That was more than the threshold. We were good to go,” a senator said.
At least 24 elected senators were required to vote in favour of the motion to remove the governor.
Kenya Kwanza senators voted uniformly to remove Mwangaza save for Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale who voted against her removal.
However, lawmakers who spoke to the Star said they voted without any influence from external forces, adding that they applied their minds and the law.
“It is clear, that it is not tenable for Kawira Mwangaza to continue serving as the Governor of Meru. We gave her two chances to put her house in order,” said Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei.
While issuing a warning to all governors, the vocal lawmaker said the Senate will no longer tolerate governors who do not foster peace in their counties.
Marsabit Senator Mohamed Chute said the senators played their constitutional role.
“This is a political process. We did our work. The people of Meru should not blame us again,” he said.
Azimio senators abstained from voting.
Led by Minority Leader Stewart Madzayo and Minority Whip Ledama Olekina, the Azimio senators camped at the Speaker’s seat in protest.
The lawmakers protested the decision to deny the senators the opportunity to debate the motion.
Earlier, Cherargei moved a motion to limit the debate to three minutes per member. The motion was approved, triggering a protest from Azimio senators who wanted more time.
Amid the protests, Kingi ordered that the vote be taken without debate.
Speaker Kingi directed the senators to take the floor to cast their votes but they abstained in all three counts of gross violation of the Constitution and other laws, abuse of office and gross misconduct.
Some 14 Azimio senators abstained from voting on all three charges.
On the first charge of gross violation of the Constitution and other laws, the Senate found Mwangaza guilty, with 26 Senators voting to confirm the charge, four voting against it and 14 abstaining.
The second charge followed a similar pattern, with 26 Senators voting in favour, two opposing and 14 abstaining.
The third charge, abuse of office, saw 27 Senators vote to confirm the charge, one voting against it and 14 abstaining.
If Mwangaza does not manage to secure court orders to suspend her impeachment, she has been condemned as she will no longer be able to occupy any public office.
Mwangaza, who was elected as an independent, now becomes the fifth governor to have been successfully impeached by the Senate since the advent of devolution.
Others are Mike Sonko (Nairobi), Ferdinand Waititu (Kiambu), Martin Wambora (Embu) and Mohamud Abdi (Wajir).
Mohamud and Wambora were, however, reinstated by the courts after their impeachments were annulled.