Defiant Mwangaza Pleads Not Guilty on All 7 Charges
Tuesday, the besieged governor of Meru, Kawira Mwangaza, entered a not-guilty plea to all seven offenses levied against her by county MCAs.
The governor listened intently as Senate Clerk Jeremiah Nyegenye read the allegations in the Senate as impeachment proceedings commenced.
She replied, “Not guilty,” in response to Nyegenye’s inquiry following her explanation of the specifics of each charge.
Before the commencement of the impeachment proceedings at 11 a.m., senators convened for a closed-door session facilitated by Speaker Amason Kingi.
The senators reached a consensus on directives for the impeachment proceedings during the tense meeting.
This entailed allocating time throughout the hearing for the cross-examination of witnesses.
“Consequently, a hearing program has been prepared and appended to today’s order paper. As is the tradition and in line with the schedule of activities for an impeachment hearing, the senate will hold a preparatory session to discuss the management of the investigation,” Kingi ruled.
According to Kingi, the purpose of the discussion is to guarantee that the procedure is executed without complication and is concluded by the Senate Standing Orders and the County Governments Act.
“And now therefore I direct that all members of the public including the media withdraw from the galleries and any form of broadcast from the chamber to cease forthwith,” Speaker Kingi said.
Last Wednesday, the governor was impeached following a vote of 59 MCAs in support of the impeachment motion.
To conduct the hearings, senators on Thursday authorized a procedural motion to alter the hours of sittings on November 7 and 8.
On the two days, the legislators will hold morning sittings until 1:00 p.m. and afternoon sittings from 2:30 p.m. until the end of business.
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The resolution to hold the hearing in a plenary session was reached on Tuesday, after the rejection of a motion by Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina by the members.
Ole Kina supported the committee’s investigation into the governor’s alleged impeachment.
If all of the charges against Mwangaza are proven, the Senate will ratify her impeachment and order her to return home.
The governor is charged with misappropriation and misuse of public resources on the initial count.
Furthermore, she is alleged to have granted salaries and benefits to officers of the highest rank without contributing anything of value to the county.
The Assembly leveled an additional allegation of nepotism and unscrupulous behavior against the governor, contending that she represented unqualified relatives as qualified technical staff for the assessment of medical equipment in China.
As evidence for the third allegation of bullying, slander, and demeaning other county leaders, the defendant’s disputes with her deputy are presented.
The governor is accused of unlawful appointments and usurpation of statutory authority on the fourth count.
The fifth allegation is contempt of court, and the sixth accusation is the unauthorized naming of a public thoroughfare in her spouse’s name.
Residing in contempt of the County Assembly constitutes the seventh charge.
