The Senate committee investigating the grounds for impeaching Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza will hold its first hearing on Tuesday. The Special Committee, comprised of 11 members, will begin hearing the charges against Kawira at 8 a.m. in the Senate Chamber.
The committee will investigate the reasons for the governor’s removal and determine whether the accusations leveled against her warrant her removal. The committee has until December 30 to deliver its recommendations. If the committee determines that the reasons for the governor’s removal are compelling, it will recommend Kawira’s removal.
The recommendation must be approved or rejected by a vote of the entire House. If a majority of senators vote to uphold the impeachment, the governor is removed from office. On December 14, Kawira Mwangaza became the first county chief to be impeached, just three months after being sworn in.
Boni Khalwale (Kakamega), Jackson Mandango (Uasin Gishu), Karungo Thangwa (Kiambu), Esther Okenyuri (Nominated), Roba Ali Ibrahim (Mandera), and Peris Tobiko are the senators who will serve on the committee (Nominated).
Others include Agnes Muthama (Machakos), Johnes Mwaruma, Joseph Githuku Kamau (Lamu), Edwin Sifuna (Nairobi), and Eddy Gicheru Oketch (Migori) (Taita Taveta).
Dennis Kiogora, an MCA from Abogeta West, put out a resolution to impeach Mwangaza on November 22, 2022, citing claims of abuse of power. Barely a month later, the proposal was approved by 68 of the 69 Meru MCAs. A single Kiagu MCA Simon Ngaruni opposed the motion, arguing that the county executive had not done anything to need her to be removed from her position.
The MCAs were displeased by Kawira’s choice to name her husband Baichu Murega as the patron of the Meru Youth Service, among other things. Additionally, she is charged for rehiring county secretary Rufus Miriti without MCA consent.
The ward representatives further claim that it was illegal to select Henry Mzungu as Director of Administration, Munene Samaritan as Director of Special Programs, Ernest Mutembei as Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, and Hillary Sandy as Director of Communications.
They claim that the appointments were not made in conformity with the Constitution’s procedures.