Impeached Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza has revealed that she has been receiving threats aimed at silencing her over her impeachment, saying powerful forces are orchestrating a campaign of intimidation against her.

Speaking during a live Facebook stream on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, Mwangaza said individuals had warned her to be careful about speaking out against her removal from office, hinting at possible consequences should she continue.

However, she defiantly stated that she had already endured so much political turmoil that no new threats could shake her resolve.

“People have been telling me to take care that I don’t speak too much about this impeachment because I could cause trouble for myself. But who exactly will cause me trouble? And on that matter, what trouble have I not already seen?” she asked.

Mwangaza said there were ongoing plans to use state agencies, including criminal investigation officers and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), to harass and frustrate her.

According to her, this was a calculated move to keep her occupied with legal battles so that she would no longer hold the authorities to account.

“People have been telling me that something bad is being planned. That CIDs will be sent after me, that EACC and other government machinery are being lined up to harass me and keep me busy. They think that by doing this, they can stop me from speaking about the injustice of my impeachment or from putting their offices under scrutiny,” she said.

However, she remained undeterred, saying she had fought too hard to be shaken by such threats. Drawing from her humble beginnings, Mwangaza recalled how she had engaged in various businesses from a young age, including selling onions and working as a housemaid, to build herself up.

She said she feared nothing but God and was not intimidated by those seeking to instill fear in her.

“I started doing business long ago, even when I was a small girl. I did many jobs, including selling onions. I have also been a maid. I have done it all. The only thing I fear is God. So these threats—someone saying they will send people after me—mean nothing to me. If they want to send them, let them send them!” she said.

The former governor also said her political detractors had previously sent goons to her home to intimidate her, but she vowed that she would not be driven out of Meru. She stated that despite the threats, she had continued sleeping in her house without fear and would do so again.

“Actually, I just remembered—they already sent goons to my home, yet I never fled. I still slept there, and I will sleep there even today. No one dies twice! Meru will stand again,” she declared.

Mwangaza dismissed any attempts to pressure her into submission, saying she had endured greater struggles in the past, particularly during her campaign, where she faced fierce opposition from her political rivals.

“I do not get threatened. And if I were someone who could be threatened, then I would never have persevered through the fighting and challenges that were thrown at me during the campaign trail by my challengers,” she said.

Puppet to political cartels

During the same address, Kawira Mwangaza did not mince her words as she tore into her successor, Governor Mutuma M’Ethingia, branding him a puppet controlled by political cartels.

Mwangaza accused her former deputy of betraying the people of Meru by aligning himself with powerful forces that, she insisted, orchestrated her impeachment to install him as a figurehead. According to her, Mutuma was not acting independently but was instead being manipulated to serve the interests of those who wanted to control the county.

“You can all see what is happening. The people who worked day and night to get me out of office are the same ones now pulling the strings behind the new governor. He is not running the county—he is just their puppet,” she said.

She noted that certain individuals had been desperate to reclaim influence over Meru’s affairs, and since they could not control her, they plotted to replace her with someone they could dictate to.

“They fought me because I refused to dance to their tune. I refused to let them take Meru back to the days when a few individuals controlled everything. Now, they have someone who will do exactly what they tell him,” she added.

Mwangaza insisted that the people of Meru were not blind to what was happening and would not remain silent as their county was taken hostage by self-serving interests. She warned that those pulling the strings behind the scenes would soon be exposed.

“The people of Meru know the truth. They see what is happening. Those who think they have won by installing their puppet will not enjoy it for long,” she declared.

Despite her removal from office, Mwangaza maintained that she would continue fighting for the county, promising to remain vocal against corruption and the forces she believes are undermining democracy in Meru.