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Embattled Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza yesterday put up a spirited fight to save her job against myriad charges as her impeachment process entered the penultimate stage.

A visibly shaken Mwangaza rubbished the charges leveled against her by the MCAs, telling the Senators that her woes were being sponsored by a section of elected leaders in the county.

During her examination by her legal counsel Elias Mutuma, Kawira broke down as she recounted to the Senators how a section of Meru leaders used demeaning words on her.

According to Kawira, her relationship with the MCAs has been cordial following the rapprochement initiated by President William Ruto and his Deputy Rigathi Gachagua but turned sour in September.

“We agreed that the past was over we started working together for the people of Meru. “Kaende” is a slogan for the speed of development in Meru. “Kabati” means accelerating to the highest speed possible and nonstop. MCAs have embraced the same slogan and also use it,” said Kawira.

She disclosed that although she has facilitated Ward Development Fund to all the MCAs to the tune of Sh10 million and this year, Sh15 million, a plot was still hatched to kick her out of office through an impeachment motion.

She told the senators initiated a programme dubbed “Okolea” that seeks to support the electorate through development projects, adding that she has never used any public funds in the programme.
Forced to sign

She said that before they were elected into office with her deputy Isaac Mutuma, she was already assisting the electorate in various projects.

“I have been doing the ‘Okolea’ and this gave me favour before God. My Deputy Governor who was just a prison warder, is the same person de-campaigning against and demeaning the same programme,” said Kawira.

She told the Senators that she had been accused of not being a Kikuyu and that she should therefore not be the Meru governor.

“They say that Mwangaza is a Kikuyu and they don’t want to be ruled by a Kikuyu. Pressure has been exerted to bring charges that do not hold any water by the same leaders. They had no option apart from an impeachment motion where they (MCAs) were forced to sign,” she added.

She further claimed that her tribulations started when Meru Senator and Senate Deputy Speaker Kathuri Murungi disclosed that he would withdraw the support of United Democratic Alliance (UDA) members from the support of development.

“There is pressure from MPs, leaders of political parties and the Deputy Speaker. They are misleading our MCAs.”

Through her key witness Josphat Kinyua, the Governor claimed that the Members of the County Assembly (MCA) were induced and coerced into appending their signatures to the impeachment motion tabled at the Meru County Assembly.

Kinyua in his testimony told the Senate plenary that the Ward reps were promised goodies including increasing the ward development fund from the current Sh15 million to Sh30 million if they supported the impeachment motion.

According to Kinyua, who is also the Nyakii East Ward MCA, Deputy Governor Mutuma made calls to the MCAs dangling the goodies for them to support the impeachment motion against Kawira.

“I can assert that the DG called all of them with an inducement that he will increase their ward fund from Sh15 million to Sh30 million. I was coerced through a phone call to sign for the impeachment motion,” alleged Kinyua.

Kinyua who was elected on a Party of National Unity (PNU) ticket in his submissions before the House, claimed that some of the Ward reps were threatened and coerced in voting for the impeachment motion, adding that John Muguna (Mbeu) was assaulted on his way to the Assembly to participate in the voting.

“Everyone who signed for the impeachment motion was induced through promises. There were 59 MCAs in the Assembly while 10 did not make it in. My initial plan was to be in the Assembly to oppose the motion but I was not able,” said Kinyua.

He went on: “Were the 10 to be there, they would have voted otherwise. Given a free will, the 59 MCAs would not have impeached the governor.”

Curse threat

But the MCAs Counsel Muthomi Thiankolu shredded Kinyua’s allegations saying that he had not tabled any evidence showing that the MCAs were threatened.

“There is no shred of evidence of coercion in your submission,” said Thiankolu.

Another witness Adrian Ayararu, on behalf of the governor, claimed that the famous Njuri Ncheke conducted an oath on the MCAs and threatened them with dire consequences if they did not vote for the impeachment motion against Kawira.

Ayararu told the Senators that the MCAs were warned that if they did not participate in the exercise, they would suffer a curse.

“They were told that if they go against the oath, the curse will follow them to their homes and their families. In any oath, Njuri Ncheke uses blood. An animal has to be slaughtered,” said Ayararu.

Ayararu, a member of Meru Njuri Ncheke and Chairman of Tigania East, West and Central narrated that on October 14, Njuri Ncheke members were called to a tree planting ceremony but it turned out to be a political rally.

Ayararu said on the tree planting day, Deputy Governor Mutuma was installed to take over the mantle of

Meru leadership and that those who organised the event did not have the blessings of elders.

“What happened there should not have taken place in the first place since this is a shrine which is a holy place where even an animal cannot be killed. That was completely very wrong. It went against our customs,” said Arayaru.