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Former Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza has described her impeachment as a complete sham and pledged to mount a vigorous legal challenge in the near future.
Speaking on Tuesday evening, following the swearing-in of her deputy, Isaac Mutuma, who took office after the High Court upheld her removal last Friday, Mwangaza declared that she would not be silenced.
“I will pursue all legal avenues to clear my name and expose the injustices that have been inflicted upon me. This is not only my battle, but it is a fight for every woman who dares to aspire to leadership in a society that often seeks to crush those dreams,” she stated.
“In the coming days, I will explore all legal and constitutional options to challenge this injustice. I will also continue to engage with the people of Meru to ensure their voices are heard and their needs are addressed,” she added.
Mwangaza accused a group of male leaders of orchestrating her impeachment. She claimed these leaders were threatened by her “steadfast commitment to the truth and the well-being of the people of Meru.”
She further asserted that she was targeted due to her refusal to compromise her principles and submit to political manipulation.
“My impeachment was not based on legitimate grounds but was instead a politically driven plot. It was a sham carried out by mostly male politicians who manipulated the system to remove me from office,” she said.
This was Mwangaza’s first public statement since the court dismissed her petition to challenge the Senate’s decision on August 20, 2024, which resulted in her removal. The Senate’s ruling came after the Meru County Assembly impeached her for the third time on August 8, when 40 out of 69 MCAs voted in favor of the motion presented by Majority Leader Zipporah Kinya.
In her petition, Mwangaza argued that the impeachment process lacked due process, citing her inability to defend herself and the absence of public participation.
However, in his ruling on Friday, March 14, Justice Bahati Mwamuye rejected her petition, affirming that the impeachment followed the correct legal procedures.
“The amended petition dated December 23, 2024, has not met the necessary legal standards for this court to overturn the Senate’s decision,” he stated.
“The gazette notice dated August 20, 2024, issued by the Senate, confirming the removal of the petitioner from office as the governor of Meru, is upheld,” the judge concluded.
The ruling was celebrated in Meru County, with scenes of jubilation mirrored during Mutuma’s oath-taking ceremony at Mwendantu Grounds on Monday.
“The masterminds, planners, sponsors, and financiers of my impeachment were overwhelmed with joy and could no longer hide behind their masks,” Mwangaza remarked.
In her statement, delivered in both her native language and English, Mwangaza accused the national government of enabling what she called an undemocratic process.
“The voices of Meru residents who elected me were ignored. Even the courts, which should have protected me, were interfered with to deny me access to justice,” she said.
Mwangaza overcame significant odds to become Meru’s third governor, defeating a male-dominated field of seasoned politicians to win the seat as an independent candidate in the August 9, 2022 general elections.
