The Governor of Meru County Kawira Mwangaza has been impeached.
Sixty-seven (67) Members of County Assembly (MCAs), who were present in the House on Wednesday, December 14, unanimously voted to remove her from office over alleged nepotism, illegal appointments, unlawful dismissals, misleading campaigns against other leaders and gross violation of the Constitution.
Mwangaza, who won election on Independent ticket, was the first woman in Meru region to be elected governor.
She defeated political heavyweights Mithika Linturi (first runner-up) and Kiraitu Murungi (second runner-up).
Mwangaza got 209,158 votes against Murungi's 110,850 in the August 9, 2022 gubernatorial race.
Murungi vied on his Devolution Empowerment Party (DEP) ticket.
Mithika Linturi, who ran on the region's popular United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Party, got 183, 859 votes. Linturi is now the Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture in President William Ruto's administration.
Shortly after being sworn into office in August, Mwangaza fell out with MCAs, whom she accused of attempting to arm-twist her over ward development fund.
The ward representatives, on the other hand, accused Mwangaza of being a lone ranger, who refused to heed their calls for consultations.
Following her December 14, 2022 impeachment, the motion now goes to the Senate, where the senators will vote to uphold the county assembly's decision, or overturn it.
