Had former Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza taken seriously a warning by Nominated Senator Peris Tobiko to control her tongue, perhaps she could still be in office.

Elected in 2022 as the first female Meru governor, Kawira’s victory over seasoned politicians like Kiraitu Murungi and Mithika Linturi was celebrated as a significant milestone.

However, her tenure quickly spiralled into controversy, marked by accusations of arrogance that alienated her from leaders and her constituents.

Tobiko issued the warning during Kawira’s impeachment hearing, cautioning that her careless speech could lead to self-destruction and her downfall.

“My sister, a loose tongue can burn a nation if you are not careful, since what I can see is a process of self-destruction because God did not give you the victory to insult other leaders but serve the people with less pride,” Tobiko said.

She urged Kawira to use her voice to bring unity rather than fuelling division. This advice, however, seemed to have fallen on deaf ears, as Kawira’s public statements continued to fuel discontent.

This ultimately led to her ouster.

Cautionary tale

Kawira’s downfall is a cautionary tale to aspiring leaders, particularly women, navigating the complex landscape of politics.

Tobiko’s prophecy came to pass on March 14 after the High Court, through Justice Bahati Wamuye, upheld the Senate impeachment of Kawira.

Kawira was removed after three other unsuccessful motions tabled by Meru Assembly failed.

The bad blood between the former governor and the ward reps began after being in office for three months.

Even after apologising publicly 70 times in 2022 to the MCAs after facing the second impeachment, the governor again lost her cool and referred to the MCAs and other leaders as greedy wolves and cartels. This infuriated the leaders, dimming hopes of reconciliation.

For Bishop Kawira, who is married to a former model and musician, Murega Baichu, her predicament worsened when she publicly accused the Catholic Church Meru Diocese of grabbing land belonging to Meru Youth Service. The clergy denied the claims and asked Kawira for an apology, but in vain.

“Unless she apologises after calling us corrupt cartels, she will continue facing problems. She will not get sleep until she comes back and apologises,” said Father Lawrence Micheni then.

Also, in bare-knuckle politics a week ago, Kiraitu claimed Kawira has no control of her tongue and only uses it to glorify herself and mud sling others.

“Kawira is a cunning drama queen and a wild political film star. Through her loose tongue, she is a master of lies and arrogance,” said Kiraitu during an interview recently.

Former Governor Peter Munya, who supported Kawira in her bid for governorship, claimed she lacked capacity to lead a county.

“I am a very frustrated person after supporting Kawira for the governor’s seat. I discovered she was not equal to the task,” Munya said.

The elders’ group, Njuri Ncheke, accused Kawira of being a hard nut to crack and a lone ranger.

 “It is difficult to handle Kawira. As Njuri Ncheke, we supported her removal. Now we are sure that under the leadership of her deputy who is calm and less dramatic, Meru will be unified and will develop,” said Njuri Ncheke secretary general Josephat Murangiri.

Speaking after being ousted, Kawira attributed her impeachment to political manipulation.

She believes that she was not impeached for poor governance but for not accepting to be controlled by powerful forces.

  The former governor argues that her impeachment was about political interests, not service delivery. She accused her critics and opponents of using political power plays to justify her removal.

She accused her deputy, Isaac Mutuma, now the new governor, of joining her opponents to scheme for her removal.

“My deputy, whom I picked from Kenya Prisons, did not use a single coin for campaigns. He started being jealous,” said Kawira on Baite  TV.

 Kawira claimed male chauvinism played a significant role in her downfall, and not the alleged loose tongue or incompetence.

Deeply patriarchal

She described the political landscape as deeply patriarchal.

“I was a victim of political harassment. I know President William Ruto played a role in my removal but I am telling them that I will fight for my career and in 2027 I can assure you I will be on the ballot.

“I am soon going to unveil the political party that I will use come next election,” said Kawira.

She said she had realised that it is not wise to vie as an independent candidate.

“I will intensify political rallies in Meru to identify leaders whom I can work with come 2027. I will also continue with my charity rallies,” she said.

Despite the controversies during her tenure, she insisted that she had achieved much, citing improved health care.

She challenged her opponents to face her at the ballot box rather than using politics of exclusion to keep her out of leadership.

“I will not be silenced. I will pursue all legal avenues to clear my name and expose the injustices that have been perpetrated against me. This is not just my fight; it is a fight for every woman who dares to dream of leadership in a society that often seeks to crush those dreams,” she said.

According to political analyst and economist Eric Muthomi, if Kawira is cleared by the Court of Appeal, her comeback bid will likely be built on her narrative of resilience and political persecution.

“Her resolve to contest again in 2027 indicates that she is not leaving politics. Whether or not the electorate will forgive her, only time will tell,” said Muthomi