- Kawira has endured five impeachment attempts by the Meru County Assembly barely two years since the 2022 General Elections.
- Kawira through Advocate Elisha Ongoya and Elias Mutuma said they were not opposed to FIDA's enjoinment in the case.
Image: HANDOUT
The Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) has come out to support Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza saying she is being persecuted for being a woman.
FIDA in an application before court has sought to be allowed to participate in the case filed by the governor challenging her ouster.
Kawira has since obtained an order stopping her removal but the Senate has filed an application seeking to have the order issued by Justice Bahati Mwamuye reviewed.
Through advocate Eunice Lumallas, FIDA on Tuesday pleaded with Justice Mwamuye to allow them to participate in the case and hear them on gender-related discrimination and bias in public office.
In their application, FIDA states that women have the right to equal treatment including the right to equal opportunities in the political, economic, cultural and social sphere.
"The joinder of FIDA is crucial as the matter is one of great public interest and specifically in relation to the rights of women in public office," their documents read in part.
Kawira has endured five impeachment attempts by the Meru County Assembly barely two years since the 2022 General Elections.
Kawira through Advocate Elisha Ongoya and Elias Mutuma said they were not opposed to FIDA's enjoinment in the case.
Also seeking to come in as interested parties are the Council of Governors and Jason Rukaria, a voter from Meru.
Rukaria said they will be giving their views on why the orders by the court shouldn't have been granted.
But some of the respondents in the case were opposed to the joinder applications saying they were meant to waste the court's time and were for the sole benefit of Kawira enjoying the orders issued by the court.
But before the Judge could proceed any further, his attention was drawn to a comment made in the chat box.
One Moses typed in the chat saying, "Kindly our court, kindly note Meru we are suffering, kindly let us know why Kawira is still holding office..we don't have doctors in our hospitals for 60 days now..."
The Judge immediately asked him to switch his camera and audio on so as to address the court on why he was making such comments when the matter was proceeding virtually.
He repeatedly called out his name so as to explain himself and have an opportunity to prevent contempt of court proceedings but there was no answer.
This left the Judge with no option other than to issue a warrant of arrest with respect to the said user.
He directed the DCI to electronically and forensically trace the man, arrest him and bring him to court.
He at the same time ordered the ICT department of the judiciary to collect the identifiable information of the user which will be submitted to the DCI.
The judge further stood over the matter until Wednesday (tomorrow) and advocates subsequently logged off.
It was at that point that Moses switched on his camera and started pleading for mercy.
"I'm very sorry your honor. I have never been in a court session before," he said.
Mwamuye then asked him to log in tomorrow and explain what he meant with the comment he had left on the chat box.
He said he couldn't revisit his orders as other parties had already left the session.