Senate to hold special sitting over Mwangaza’s impeachment

By Peter Ochieng

The Senate is expected to hold a special sitting, over Meru governor Kawira Mwangaza’s impeachment.

The first term governor elected on an independent ticket was impeached for the third time last week, by Members of the Meru County Assembly (MCAs).

As such, the Senate which holds the final say in the impeachment process, will hold a special sitting on Wednesday afternoon to consider impeachment charges against the embattled county boss.

Senate Speaker Amason Jeffa Kingi in a special gazette notice said he received a letter from the Speaker of the County Assembly of Meru dated August 9, notifying him of Mwangaza’s impeachment.

"I have appointed Wednesday, August 14, 2024, as a day for a special sitting of the Senate. The sitting shall be held in the Senate Chamber, Main Parliament Buildings, Nairobi, commencing at 2.30 pm," reads the notice in part.

"The business to be transacted at the sitting shall be the hearing of the charges against Kawira Mwangaza, the governor of Meru County."

The first step for Senators will be voting on whether to hear the matter in plenary or to form a special committee, so as to probe the allegations levelled against Mwangaza.

If the Senators vote to go the Special Committee way, the selected team will report back with information whether it has been able to substantiate any of the charges.

If any of the allegations are found to have been substantiated, the Senate plenary will vote on whether to dismiss or uphold the impeachment, as stipulated in the constitution.

She was impeached after allegations of gross violations of the constitution, gross misconduct and abuse of office were levelled against her.

She becomes the most impeached governor, after former Embu County boss Martin Wambora who was sent packing twice by MCAs. Mwangaza is not new to the Senate, after it saved her from the jaws of impeachment twice – once in 2022 and once in 2023. She is hopeful that she will be lucky a third time.

“This too will come to pass!” she shared shortly after last week’s impeachment.