Reprieve for Governor Kawira Mwangaza as court blocks impeachment plan
Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza has gotten a reprieve after the High court temporarily halted a plan by the Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) to oust her.
Justice Thripsisa Cherere on Wednesday, November 30, issued the conservatory orders barring MCAs from tabling, debating and considering or acting upon the impeachment motion dated November 21 pending the hearing and determination of the case filed by Mwangaza.
"A conservatory order is hereby issued prohibiting the Respondents from discussing. debating, or in any way whatsoever dealing with the impeachment motion against the Petitioner scheduled for debate on November 30, 2022, at 10:00 am," the judge ordered.
The decision comes after the governor moved to stop the MCAs from debating on the motion filed by Abogeta MCA Dennis Kiogora seeking her ouster over allegations of nepotism, illegal appointments and sacking of county workers.
She contends that allowing the motion to proceed would be unfair to her because her fate had been sealed as 68 of the assembly’s 69 MCAs supported it.
The county boss claims the impeachment proceedings are biased and labelled the impeachment plan a "sham process which is maliciously carried out in a secretive manner constituting a flagrant subversion of the Constitution and the majority will of the residents of Meru County".
But MCAs insist that the High Court did not have jurisdiction at this stage to stop the assembly from proceeding with the motion.
This came as 10 residents filed a fresh suit alleging that Mwangaza was being targeted for removal because of her gender.
Mwangaza's tough stance
Governor Mwangaza had earlier vowed to steer clear of the County Assembly today during the impeachment debate.
Speaking at Kathatene in Igembe Central during her last round of Budget validation forum on Tuesday, Mwangaza dared the MCAs to vote for her impeachment to the last man.
"They are now threatening to kick me out of office. If that is the plan, I declare that they will go before me. I will not go to the assembly because I will be busy meeting the people," she said.
She further claimed that the accusations made against her were not founded on any evidence.
She maintained that she was not afraid of the impeachment since her office is founded on the constitution.
"The governor's office is not established through a piece of paper so that you discard it at your whims. It is unheard of to impeach a governor after just two months in office. What have I done?" she posed.
