Kawira Mwangaza cites chaotic Senate in fight for job

Meru County Governor Kawira Mwangaza when she appeared before the Senate's Committee on National Cohesion, Equal Opportunity and Regional at Bunge Towers on January 28, 2025. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza continued to fight her impeachment in court yesterday as shed light on a chaotic Senate session and a disregarded court order.

Appearing before Milimani High Court Judge Bahati Mwamuye, Mwangaza argued that her ouster by Meru County Assembly and senators defied a Meru High Court order of July 24, 2024, halting any impeachment proceedings.

Through her lawyers, Elisha Ongoya and Elias Mutuma, Mwangaza argued that Senate Speaker Amason Kingi ignored senators' protests about the court order during her trial, pressing ahead with the motion. The court heard that Meru County Assembly Speaker Ayub Bundi Solomon, Clerk Jacob Kirari, and MCA Zipporah Kinya, who moved the impeachment, were sentenced to six months in prison on February 13, 2025, for contempt. Justice P Kassan had fined them Sh100,000 each or six months jail for disobeying the July order, which they failed to pay.

Mwangaza's petition challenged her removal, alleging the process was a sham. Ongoya told Justice Mwamuye that both the county assembly and Senate flouted the August 2024 Meru High Court ruling barring her ouster.

"The impeachment should never have proceeded," he said, noting that the MCAs withdrew an earlier prohibited motion only to replace it with a new one, leading to Mwangaza's removal despite her 2022 election win over Kiraitu Murungi and Mithika Linturi.

Mutuma added that the Senate was informed of the court order but ignored it.

"Speaker Kingi avoided acknowledging a letter from Mwangaza about the order," he said, citing Senator Boni Khalwale's failed attempt to raise it, dismissed by Kingi as out of order.

"This country is governed by law, which was blatantly disregarded," Mutuma argued, calling the process a nullity.

To support her case, Mwangaza presented three videos capturing the Senate's disorderly conduct during her trial. Ongoya said the senators shouted and consulted improperly, denying her a fair defence.

"The chaos undermined the process's integrity," he asserted.

The ruling is expected on March 14.