By Francis Kioko
In a tense and chaotic session that extended past midnight, the Senate has impeached Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza, sealing her fate after a dramatic third attempt to remove her from office. Mwangaza faced three serious charges: gross violation of the Constitution, gross misconduct, and abuse of office.
The impeachment proceedings were marked by heated exchanges, with tempers flaring among the senators. Senate Speaker Amason Kingi appeared visibly exhausted as he struggled to maintain order, while sergeants-at-arms had their hands full trying to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control.
On the first charge, 26 senators voted in favor of impeachment, with only 4 opposing, while 14 were absent. The second charge saw 26 senators again voting ‘YES,’ 2 voting ‘NO,’ and 14 absent. The third charge, which garnered the most decisive outcome, had 27 senators voting ‘YES,’ with no dissenting votes and 14 absentees.
This marks the third impeachment attempt against Mwangaza, who had previously survived two similar motions. However, this time, her luck ran out as the majority of senators voted against her, ending her tenure as governor.
During her defense, Mwangaza claimed that her impeachment was orchestrated by Meru Senator Kathuri Murungi, who also serves as the Senate’s Deputy Speaker, along with unnamed influential figures within the UDA party.
With this vote, Mwangaza joins the ranks of the few governors who have been successfully impeached in Kenya. Since 2013, 11 governors and three deputies have faced impeachment by their county assemblies, but only former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko and former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu had been successfully removed—until now.
As the final vote was counted, Speaker Kingi declared that Kawira Mwangaza was to vacate her office immediately, marking the end of her tumultuous tenure as Meru’s governor.
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