‘Charges against Governor Mwangaza were too weak, not impeachable’ – Senator Osotsi
By Valerian Khakayi, August 29, 2024Vihiga County Senator Godfrey Osotsi now claims charges against Meru governor Kawira Mwangaza were too weak to impeach a governor.
Speaking during a live TV interview on Thursday, August 29, 2024, Osotsi said that after listening to the presentation for two days, most senators agreed that the charges against the Meru governor were too weak and not impeachable.
He further stated that two hours before the election, some of his colleagues changed their position and decided to impeach Mwangaza.
“Most senators agreed that the charges against the Meru governor were too weak and not impeachable. However, two hours before the election, our colleagues from UDA changed their position and decided to impeach Kawira Mwangaza and we on the Azimio side stood firm and said no we can’t allow it not because we were against the people of Meru but the charges presented to us were too weak to impeach a governor,” Osotsi said.
The Vihiga Senator further stated that the national parliament is the weakest link in the governing system adding that it has been hijacked by the executive.
“Parliament is the weakest link in our govern system because parliament has been hijacked by the executive if you look at the way the national parliament functions they passed the draconian and punitive law finance bill against all the outcry by Kenyans and you can see most of the parliamentarians voted yes because that was what the executive wanted to happen,” he added.
“We want a Parliament where decisions are made based on facts and the rule of law.”
Mwangaza impeachment
On the night of Tuesday, August 20, 2024, Senators upheld Kawira Mwangaza’s impeachment despite her hopes of surviving a third impeachment motion at the Senate.
On the first charge of gross violation of the Constitution and other laws, the Senate found Kawira guilty, with 26 Senators voting to confirm the charge,4 voting against it, and 14 abstaining.
Most of those who abstained are allied to the opposition parties.
“The Senate has tonight voted to uphold the decision of the County Assembly of Meru to remove from office by way of impeachment, the Governor of Meru County, Hon Kawira Mwangaza,” Speaker of the Senate Amason Kingi said.
A governor ceases to hold office if a majority of the Senate members uphold any of the impeachment charges, according to Section 33(7) of the County Government Act.
The sustained efforts to impeach the governor were marred with controversy after a section of senators chastised Speaker Amason Kingi for not allocating enough time for voting to those attending the session virtually.
Impeachment suspended
On August 21, 2024, the Speaker of the Senate was restrained from declaring the office of the Meru Governor vacant in the Kenya Gazette notice by High Court judge Justice Bahati Mwamuye.
The orders were issued after Kawira through her advocate Elias Mutuma argued that the Senate allowed the reintroduction of the same charges as those that she was previously accused of in 2023 and found not guilty adding that those issues are still pending determination in court following the first impeachment motion last year.