Tensions have escalated in Meru County as residents took to the streets on Monday, demanding that embattled Governor Kawira Mwangaza vacate office. The protesters, who marched to the county government offices, claimed that Mwangaza is holding the office illegally following her recent impeachment.
Protests and Police Intervention
The demonstrations quickly turned chaotic, with police forced to intervene by lobbing teargas at the crowd after they lit fires outside the county offices. The residents, undeterred, vowed to return the following day, pledging to prevent Mwangaza from accessing the office.
"Leo ni warm up. Kesho asubuhi by 5 am atatupata hapa na tutamzuia hataingia hiyo ofisi," one protester told the media, which translates to, "Today is just a warm up. Tomorrow by 5 am we will be here. We will ensure she does not access the office."
The protesters accused Mwangaza of "sneaking" into the county offices using a vehicle without license plates, further fueling their anger.
Contention Over Office Legitimacy
The residents insist that the legitimate holder of the Meru County Governor's office is now Deputy Governor Mutuma M'Ethingia. They argue that Mwangaza’s impeachment by the Meru County Assembly, which saw 40 out of 69 members vote for her removal, should stand, despite any legal orders blocking the ouster.
Mwangaza’s impeachment was upheld by the Senate last week on grounds of gross violation of the constitution, gross misconduct, and abuse of office. This marked the third time the Meru County Assembly had attempted to remove her from office since her swearing-in.
Legal Hurdles and Judicial Intervention
However, Mwangaza’s removal has been complicated by a court order from Justice Bahati Mwamuye, who restrained Senate Speaker Amason Kingi from declaring the office vacant through a Kenya Gazette Notice. The judge issued the order after Mwangaza's legal team argued that the Senate had reintroduced charges that were previously unconfirmed in a 2023 motion and were still pending in court.
"I am satisfied that the application raises constitutional, legal, and factual issues that meet the threshold that warrants immediate intervention by this court by way of issuing ex parte interim orders," Justice Mwamuye said.
Mwangaza, through her advocate Elias Mutuma, expressed concerns that her ouster was being rushed to install another person in her place, which led to her urgent appeal to the court.
A Divisive Figure in Meru Politics
This latest development adds to the ongoing political turmoil in Meru, where Mwangaza has faced relentless opposition from Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) since taking office. Her tenure has been marked by repeated impeachment attempts, making her the third Kenyan governor to be removed from office through impeachment, following the cases of Kiambu's Ferdinand Waititu and Nairobi's Mike Sonko.
