By Antynet Ford
Members of the Meru County Assembly have tabled a notice of motion to impeach governor Kawira Mwangaza.
The notice of motion was moved by nominated MCA and deputy majority leader Zipporah Kinya on grounds of misuse of office and public funds.
In her motion, Kinya has listed numerous specific allegations against Kawira, including illegal appointments and dismissals, financial misconduct, and misleading the public.
The governor is accused of revoking the appointment of CPA Virginia Kawira Miriti as Secretary/CEO of the Meru County Public Service Board without proper authorization and in contravention of the law.
She also alleged that the governor failed to appoint or illegally appointed chairpersons for several county boards without the required vetting and approval by the County Assembly.
During the tabling of the notice of motion, the deputy majority leader further detailed accusations of financial misconduct, including the irregular payment of emergency call allowances to doctors, leading to an excessive payment of Sh74.3 million, and the use of a manual payroll system to pay personnel emoluments amounting to Sh102.94 million.
The notice also highlighted the governor’s role in employing a bloated workforce, significantly increasing the county’s wage bill beyond legal limits.
This is the third time first-time Governor Kawira Mwangaza is facing a bid to eject her from office.
She survived a second bid of impeachment last year after the Senate failed to uphold the charges against her by the assembly.
Mwangaza was at the time accused of misappropriating county resources, nepotism, and unethical practices, bullying and vilifying other leaders, usurping her statutory powers, contempt of court, illegally naming a public road after her husband, and contempt of the Meru County Assembly.
The assembly first impeached her in 2022 but the assembly committee appointed to do the probe saved her after the report indicated that none of the charges leveled against her was proven.
The impeachment notice comes days after residents of the county petitioned president William Ruto requesting him to dissolve the county saying that conflicts between the Meru County executive and the county assembly are affecting development.
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