Senate Speaker Amason Kingi has announced that the impeachment motion against Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza will be determined by way of plenary and not a special committee.
This is after a motion by Majority Leader Senator Boni Khalwale seeking to establish a committee to prosecute her impeachment collapsed.
“The motion for the establishment of a formation for a committee has been negatived and the root for a special committee is abandoned. The senate shall investigate the matter to impeach the Meru County Governor in plenary,” he said.
Kingi said the Senate will investigate the matter in plenary on Monday, August 19, and Tuesday, August 20, 2024.
Earlier, Senator Khalwale had proposed the formation of an 11-member committee to probe the grounds for impeachment of the governor.
Senators opposed forming a committee and opted for a plenary session, noting that the Governor has been impeached for the third time in two years.
Kawira Mwangaza Impeached by Meru MCAs
The County Assembly of Meru on August 8, 2024, approved a motion to remove from office by impeachment of the County Governor Kawira Mwangaza.
49 out of 66 MCAs voted in favour of the impeachment motion tabled, meeting the two-thirds threshold while 17 voted against the motion. Three MCAs did not vote.
Also Read: Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza Impeached
The speaker of the County Assembly of Meru conveyed to the Senate Speaker a resolution of the County Assembly removing from office by impeachment of the Governor in a letter dated 9th August 2024 and further forwarded to him documents in evidence of the proceedings of the Assembly.
This is after Deputy Majority leader in the Assembly Zipporah Kinya tabled an impeachment motion on Wednesday, July 31, afternoon, triggering a fresh process to remove Mwangaza just two days after the governor was granted a reprieve by the courts.
Allegations Against the Governor
In her motion, Kinya wanted the governor removed from office for gross violation of the Constitution and other laws, gross misconduct and abuse of office.
Additionally, the governor was accused of illegally dismissing several board executives and misleading the public by falsely claiming that MCAs had raised Ksh86 million for the family of the late blogger Bernard Muthiani, also known as Sniper.
Also Read: Senate Gives Way Forward on Kawira Mwangaza Impeachment
She is also accused of paying a full salary to Christus Manyara, a public relations officer, despite being charged with murder, in contravention of the Public Service Commission’s disciplinary manual.
Mwangaza is further accused of authorizing irregular payments of emergency call allowances, to 161 doctors and medical officers using the wrong rates resulting in an overpayment of Ksh. 74 million, contrary to the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act, and other relevant laws.
Other allegations include using a manual payroll to pay personnel emoluments amounting to Ksh102.94 million, contrary to established financial regulations in section 6.7.6 of the County Financial Accounting and Reporting manual.
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