Revealed: Why the senate saved Governor Kawira Mwangaza from impeachment

Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza on Friday survived an impeachment motion after the Senate dismissed the motion seeking to remove her from office.

Meru MCAs had passed a motion to impeach their governor accusing her of infringing on her constitutional powers.

However, the Senate Committee, found the Particulars of the Allegations against the Governor to have not been substantiated.

According to the report presented at the senate, evidence showed that the positions that the Governor’s husband Murega Baichu was alleged to have been appointed never exist and no proof showed that he drew a salary for those appointments.

“Governor’s husband had not drawn any salary or benefit from the Meru County Government and was not in the county payroll. No evidence was submitted to prove any of the alleged appointments by the Governor or disregard for the criteria for the establishment of offices within the County Public Service,” the Committee report noted.

The committee, however, found out that Governor Kawira violated law in failing to seek the approval of the County Assembly for the reappointment of the County Secretary Rufus Miriti but the violation does not meet the threshold for removal from office.

Boni Khalwale’s Committee further stated that no evidence was presented by the County Assembly supporting the alleged appointment of unqualified persons namely Munene Samaritan, Ernest Mutembei and Henry Mzungu.

The Committee also acquitted the governor arguing that evidence showed that roadside appointments made by Ms Kawira were not actualized with the issuance of appointment letters.

It was also noted that the allegations over Illegal Committee on the Meru Municipality were not substantiated.

“Evidence adduced before the committee showed that the Governor identified members of an unnamed Committee and determined its chairperson, vice chairperson, treasurer, and organizing secretary. The evidence did not indicate the functions of the Committee and whether or not they performed similar functions to that of the Meru Municipality Board thereby usurping its mandate,” the Committee report noted.

The Committee also shunned allegations alluding Kawira of incitement, bullying, vilification, and misleading campaigns against other leaders.

“The evidence adduced and presented before the Committee demonstrated the existence of discord and public disagreements between the Governor and the County Assembly Minority Leader with accusations and counter-accusations and public exchanges. No evidence was adduced before the committee to demonstrate incitement, bullying, or vilification campaign,” the report further noted.

The Committee report also stated that allegations on the vilification of the Catholic Church and Clergy, Meru Senator Kathuri Murungi, Tigania East MP Mpuru Aburi, and Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi were not proven.

It was also noted that no evidence of Governor Kawira’s forceful entry to the precincts of the assembly was presented before the committee.

On allegations of violation of Public Finance Management Laws, the Committee noted that Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital was a semi-autonomous government agency, and the hospital Board Act, 2019 allows the utilization of funds collected by the hospital to defray its expenses.