Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza impeached for the 3rd time

Meru governor Kawira Mwangaza has been impeached.

This is the third time in two years the governor is impeached after MCAs voted in favour of the ouster motion.

In the county assembly chambers, 49 MCAs voted in support of the motion against 17 who rejected it.

Three members failed to avail themselves at the assembly for the impeachment vote.

Her fate now is in the hands of senators.

She becomes the first governor to be impeached several times in the country.

She is accused of gross violations of the constitution, gross misconduct and abuse of office.

In the gross violation of the constitution and other laws, nominated MCA Zipporah Kinya said Mwangaza illegally revoked the appointment of Virginia Kawira as the secretary of the county public service board.

“It is only the county assembly who have the mandate to revoke the appointment of the secretary county public service board,” she said.

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The deputy majority leader said Mwangaza failed to appoint the Chairperson of the Meru County Revenue Board, Meru Microfinance Corporation, Meru Youth Service Board, and Meru County Investment and Development Corporation Board as required by law thus failing to operationalize the said Boards.

She went ahead to state that Mwangaza refused to implement the recommendations and resolutions of the County Assembly requiring the Governor to dismiss the County Secretary Kiambi Athiru Thambura, and the Chief of Staff Harrison Gatobu Nchamba Mbithi from office for gross violation of the Constitution.

She said county secretary Athiru and chief of staff Gatobu have also been illegally hiring and firing staff but Mwangaza did not take any action.

Kinya further accused Mwangaza of illegally dismissing Dr Ntoiti (CEO of County Revenue Board), Paul Mwaki (CEO of Liquor Board), Kenneth Kimathi Mbae (Managing Director of Meru Microfinance Corporation) and Joseph Kithure Mberia (CEO, MEWASS) in the usurpation of the powers of the appointing authorities contrary to section 9 (7)(b) of the Meru County Revenue Board Act and section 10(6) of the Meru County Investment and Development Corporation Act.

As a result of the action, Kinya said the County Government of Meru has been slapped with costs and damages amounting to Sh4 million by the Employment and Labour Relations Court.

On gross misconduct, the nominated MCA said Mwangaza lied to the public saying that the fundraiser for the family of deceased Daniel Muthiani popularly known as Sniper raised Sh86m.

“The governor of Meru was in the media saying that Sh86 million was raised while only Sh.286,000 was fundraiser. This forced the deceased wife to be insecure as she feared she might be attacked by robbers,” she said.

She said the county boss deliberately and knowingly misled the public by giving false information that Sh86,000,000.00 had been raised through the Paybill number 247247 Account Number 0400163917899 established after the murder of Daniel Muthiani alias Sniper while the correct position is that only Sh.286,516.00 was raised.

This, Kinya said, violates the moral and ethical requirements expected of State Officers, contrary to section 19 of the Public Officer Ethics Act and section 29 of the Leadership and Integrity Act.

On abuse of office, she said according to the Auditors General’s report, the governor has employed 111 workers and out of those 79 cleaners in the office yet they are not visible.

The workers are paid using the manual payroll.

She went on to say Mwangaza paid Christus Manyara a public communication officer with Meru county his full salary yet he was in remand.

She said Manyara, a suspect linked to the murder of Daniel Muthiani, popularly known as sniper.

“For Meru to get justice, good leadership, good healthcare, good roads and other developments, Mwangaza must go,” Kinya said as she moved the motion for debate.

Minority leader Mwenda Ithili (Athwana) seconded the impeachment motion.

He said that the governor should have come to the assembly to defend herself against the claims instead of resulting in pay goons to cause mayhem and put members of the County Assembly at risk.