We were paid to kick Mwangaza out, former Majority Leader says

Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza during her impeachment hearing before the Senate Assembly on August 19, 2024. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

A Member of the Meru County Assembly told the Senate that the three impeachment motions against Governor Kawira Mwangaza were politically motivated.

The former Meru County Assembly Majority Leader, Evans Mawira who was the mover of the second impeachment motion against Mwangaza said it was brought before the assembly less than a month after they lost the first impeachment with senior political leaders from Meru in support of the move and plans to sabotage the budget making process.

“I would like to appeal to the Senate to dismiss this impeachment motion against Governor Kawira since having been there from the first to the third impeachments, I can state that they have been pushed due to some political reasons yet this should be the last resort,” he said.

Mawira who is the Mitunguu Ward Representative noted that the county has 69 MCA and there were some monetary benefits during the impeachment process as members have always been facilitated to be in Nairobi for five days during the debate.

The MCA said that immediately after the second impeachment was lost his colleagues went to Mombasa on a retreat where it was agreed that a petition be introduced to impeach County Executive Committee Members to sabotage the governor's agenda.

“The County Assembly of Meru has always paid Members of the County Assembly an allowance of Sh14,000 per day for five days as they stay in Nairobi every time there is an impeachment process against Governor Kawira Mwangaza before the Senate,” said Mawira.

He said President William Ruto during a public event in Meru urged the county administration and the assembly to work together and a reconciliation meeting between the governor and MCAs was convened to resolve the differences.

Mawira revealed that they were tasked to sabotage programmes that were making the governor popular and have a female MCA introduce an impeachment motion against the governor in June to deny Mwangaza sympathy.

“A meeting between 59 MCA, all MPs in Meru and the former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi took place in Nanyuki towards the end of last year where we were urged to unite in ensuring we impeach the Governor after which were each given Sh 20,000,” he claimed.

He said that the governor has made several efforts to reconcile with MCAs and other political leaders and she personally reached to him asking them to heed the unity call.

The MCA revealed that he was kicked out as Majority Leader after convincing some colleagues that it was not in the interest of Meru people for the assembly to continue fighting the executive.

Meru County Executive Committee Member in charge of Finance Ibrahim Kirimi denied claims that doctors had been irregularly reimbursed saying that the payment was due to a return-to-work - agreement.

Kirimi who appeared as one of the witnesses for the governor said the county in this financial year has achieved 79 per cent in budget absorption and they have not received any adverse report from the office of the Auditor General.

Public Service Management CEC Dickson Munene said that Mwangaza revoked the appointment of Virginia Miriti as Secretary of County Public Service Board after receiving legal advice.

“The County Assembly can only move a censure motion against the County Secretary, it is only the governor who has those powers as per the County Governments Act, neither has the governor dismissed the Senior County officials she is being accused off,” said Munene.

The CEC defended Mwangaza'a administration saying it does not have a bloated workforce and the governor's office has only 19 employees while the deputy governor has 10 staff and not 111 employees as it is being alleged.

The governor is accused of Illegally revoking the appointment of Virginia Miriti as Secretary of the Meru County Public Service Board, without a vote of not less than 75 per cent of MCAs and in usurpation of the powers of the county assembly contrary to sections 58(4) & (5) and 59A of the County Governments Act.

Mwangaza is accused of failing to appoint the Chairpersons of the Meru County Revenue Board, Meru Microfinance Corporation, Meru Youth Service Board and Meru County Investment and Development Corporation Board as required by law thus failing to operationalise the said Boards and illegally appointing the said chairpersons without vetting and approval by the assembly contrary to section 4 of the Public Appointments (County Assemblies Approval) Act.

The governor is facing charges of allegedly refusing to implement the recommendations of the assembly to dismiss the County Secretary Kiambi Thambura, and the Chief of Staff Harrison Mbithi over alleged gross violation of the Constitution and other laws.

The MCAs have accused Mwangaza of allegedly blatantly ignoring or failing to submit a report to the assembly on the implementation of the said recommendations within 60 days as required in the Report of the County Assembly dated December 23, 2023, contrary to Article 183(3) of the Constitution.

The governor is accused of allegedly Illegally dismissing Dr Ntoiti (CEO of County Revenue Board), Paul Mwaki (CEO of Liquor Board), Kenneth Kimathi Mbae (Managing Director of Meru Microfinance Corporation) and Joseph Kithure Mberia (CEO, MEWASS).

Mwangaza faces charges of alleged gross misconduct by deliberately giving false information that Sh86 million had been raised through the Paybill number 247247 Account Number 04001 6391 7899 established after the murder of Daniel Muthiani alias Sniper while the correct position being only Sh286,516 was raised, violating the moral and ethical requirements expected of State Officers, contrary to section 19 of the Public Officer Ethics Act and section 29 of the Leadership and Integrity Act.

She is accused of alleged the irregular payment of emergency call allowances to 161 doctors and medical officers using the wrong rates leading to excessive payment of Sh74.3 million contrary to sections 45 (2) and 46 of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act, sections 11 and 15 of the Public Officer Ethics Act and section 72 (1) of the Leadership and Integrity Act.

The MCAs claim that the governor allegedly used a manual payroll to pay personnel emoluments amounting to Sh102.94 million (3.1 per cent of Personnel Emoluments costs) contrary to Section 67.6 of the County Financial Accounting and Reporting Manual.

She is also accused of allegedly employing 111 personal staff in her office contributing to an increase in the wage bill by more than Sh500 million which is 49 per cent of the annual revenue allocation far beyond the 35 per cent limit set by section 25(1)(a) and (b) of the Public Finance Management (County Governments) Regulations, 2015.

Mwangaza faces charges of allegedly paying Christus Manyara, a Public Communication Officer in the office of the governor his full salary and benefits while in remand and despite being accused of murder contrary to section 4.2 of the Public Service Commission Discipline Manual for the Public Service.