The 11-member Special Senate Committee probing the grounds for the impeachment of Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza will have its first sitting on Tuesday (27th December 2022), despite the day being a public holiday.
The Meru County Assembly has lined up three witnesses to testify against Governor Kawira on Tuesday afternoon.
On her part, the Governor will depend on one witness who will testify before the committee on Wednesday, as she strives to disentangle herself from the shackles of impeachment.
The committee will conclude the sittings on Wednesday (28th December), and table the findings on December 30.
If the Khalwale-led committee finds that the reasons for the removal of the Governor are weighty, then it will recommend the ejection of Kawira from office, after which the entire house has to vote to either endorse the recommendation or reject it.
If a majority of the senators vote to uphold the impeachment then the Governor ceases to hold office, and is barred from seeking any other political seat in future.
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Tuesday 27th December 2022 |
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| 10:00am – 10:30am | Conference of Parties
i) Salutations ii) Introduction of the Special Committee Members iii) Introduction of the County Assembly Representatives and Counsel iv) Introduction of the Governor and Counsel representing the Governor v) Recital of the Mandate of the Committee vi) Hearing Programme |
| 10:30am – 10:45am | Reading of the Impeachment Charges |
| 10:50am – 11:20am | Consideration of Preliminary Matters |
| 11:20am – 12:40pm | Opening Statement on behalf of the County Assembly
Opening Statement on behalf of the Governor |
| 12:40pm – 1:00pm | Evidence by the County Assembly (Witnesses, Cross-examination and re-examination) |
| 1:00pm – 2:00pm | Lunch Break |
| 2:00pm – 5:00pm | Evidence by the County Assembly (Witnesses, Cross-examination and re-examination) |
| 5:10pm – 6:10pm | Intervention by Members of the Special Committee |
| 6:10pm – 6:30pm | Concluding remarks and way forward |
| Wednesday 28th December 2022 | |
| 10:00am – 1:30pm | Evidence by the Governor (Witnesses, Cross-examination and re-examination) |
| 1:30pm – 2:30pm | Intervention by Members of the Special Committee |
| 2:30pm – 3:30pm | Lunch Break |
| 3:30pm – 4:00pm | Closing Statement on behalf of the County Assembly |
| 4:00pm – 4:30pm | Closing Statement on behalf of the Governor |
| 4:30pm – 5:00pm | Closing remarks and way forward |
| Friday 30th December 2022 | |
| 2:30pm | Tabling of the Report of the Committee |
Kawira Mwangaza became the first county boss to be impeached on December 14, barely three months after being sworn in.
The senators who will sit on the committee are; Boni Khalwale (Kakamega), Jackson Mandango (Uasin Gishu), Karungo Thangwa (Kiambu), Esther Okenyuri (Nominated), Roba Ali Ibrahim (Mandera) and Peris Tobiko (Nominated).
Others are Eddy Gicheru Oketch (Migori), Joseph Githuku Kamau (Lamu), Edwin Sifuna (Nairobi), Agnes Muthama (Machakos) and Johnes Mwaruma (Taita Taveta).
On November 22, 2022, Abogeta West MCA Dennis Kiogora proposed a motion to impeach Mwangaza over allegations of abuse of office.
Barely a month later, 68 of the 69 Meru MCAs voted in favor of the motion. Only Kiagu MCA Simon Kiambi Ngaruni did not support the motion saying the county boss had not done anything to warrant her removal from office.
Among the things that angered the MCAs include Kawira’s decision to appoint her husband Baichu Murega as the patron of the Meru Youth Service.
She is also accused of reappointing county secretary Rufus Miriti without the approval of MCAs.
The ward reps further argue that the appointment of Munene Samaritan as Director of Special Programmes, Ernest Mutembei as the Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, Henry Mzungu as Director of Administration, and Hillary Sandy as Director of Communications were in violation of the law.
According to them, the appointments were not done in accordance with procedures set out in the Constitution.
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