Senators Pull Off Second Impeachment Save for Governor Mwangaza
The Senate Assembly has trashed an Impeachment motion against the Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza.
The Senators voted to throw out all seven charges fronted against the governor by the Meru County Assembly.
In charge one on misappropriation and misuse of public resources, 28 senators voted that the governor was innocent while 19 senators voted to say she was guilty.
On nepotism and unethical practices, 42 senators voted to save the governor while five senators supported it.
On charge three, bullying, vilification, and demeaning of other leaders, 44 Senators dismissed the charge while three approved it.
On charge four of illegal appointment and usurpation of statutory powers, 26 senators voted against it while 20 voted in support. One Senator did not vote.
On Charge Five, Contempt of Court, 44 senators vindicated the governor while three senators backed the assembly on the accusation.
On charge six the governor named a road after her husband, 43 senators dismissed the charges while four senators found the governor guilty.
On charge seven, contempt of the assembly, 36 senators unanimously voted that the governor was innocent while 10 voted to support the Assembly claim.
“The result of the division indicates the senate has not upheld any of the charges. Therefore, the senate has failed to remove from office the governor by impeachment. The governor accordingly continues to hold office,” Speaker Amason Kingi said while announcing the official results of the voting exercise.
The vote came moments after the county chief made her final plea to the lawmakers to give her a second chance.
“If there is a leader in this house, in Meru, and in Kenya that I have wronged, I ask for forgiveness,” Mwangaza said as she pleaded with the house to save her job.
Voting was done by delegation meaning only 47 senators representing all counties cast their votes.
The hearing of Governor Mwangaza’s impeachment case lasted two days.
The hearing began on Tuesday when the Meru County Assembly presented their case.
On Wednesday, the Governor’s and her lawyer put her defense against the impeachment charges.
The two days saw emotions run high as Mwangaza fought to defend herself against impeachment charges.
The Senate conducted a hearing session for her impeachment trial.
The governor was impeached after 59 MCAs voted in favor of the impeachment motion.
The House deliberated on the evidence produced by the Meru County Assembly legal team and Mwangaza’s defense among other issues.
Mwangaza faced seven charges that formed grounds for her impeachment. She denied all the charges on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, she pleaded not guilty to all the seven charges that were leveled against her by county MCAs.
On the first charge, the governor was accused of misappropriation and misuse of public resources.
She was also accused of paying salaries and benefits to high-ranking officers without rendering any services to the county.
The governor faced another charge of nepotism and unethical practices with the Assembly claiming she represented unqualified relatives as qualified technical staff for the inspection of medical equipment in China.
The third charge was bullying, vilification and demeaning other county leaders with her deputy being filed as evidence.
On the fourth charge, the governor was accused of illegal appointments and usurpation of statutory powers.
The fifth charge was of being contempt of court while the sixth was illegally naming a public road after her husband.
The seventh charge was on contempt of the County Assembly.
Senators Pull Off Second Impeachment Save for Governor Mwangaza
