Embattled Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza has said she is ready for the dissolution of the Meru County government after a fresh petition was filed seeking her impeachment.
The governor survived the second impeachment attempt on Wednesday last week before a Meru resident petitioned the High Court to overturn the Senate’s decision to save Mwangaza.
Michael Kibutha wants the court to find that Governor Mwangaza was procedurally impeached due to gross violations of the Constitution.
At the same time, a petition was submitted by a group of residents urging the Meru County Assembly to impeach 12 executive members of Governor Kawira Mwangaza’s government, citing violations of various laws.
Meanwhile, Resident Henry Muriithi has petitioned President William Ruto to dissolve the Meru County government, citing it as “irretrievably broken and completely dysfunctional.”
“The stalemate has resulted in the objectives of devolution not being met as is foreseen under Article 174 of the Constitution. If the objectives of devolution are not being achieved in the county government of Meru, the people submit that the county ought to be dissolved at the earliest opportunity,” Muriithi’s petition reads.
Governor Mwangaza has embraced the calls for dissolving the county government, expressing readiness to seek a fresh mandate from the electorate if such a decision is made.
The county boss mentioned that after the second unsuccessful impeachment attempt, some delegations and residents urged her to request President William Ruto to suspend the county.
“People from non-governmental organisations and individuals came to me with the request. But I told them that first we will continue negotiations with the ward representatives and come to an agreement on how we will work,” she said in a radio interview.
“But if the issues are not resolved, I will support them in the initiative to suspend the county.”
Mwangaza announced that starting Monday, volunteers from local NGOs, supported by other Meru residents, will initiate the process of collecting signatures, and she affirmed her support for their efforts.
“There are many organisations collecting signatures to dissolve the Meru County. As the governor, I think they should do what is good, if that is how citizens will get help, I will support them,” Mwangaza said on Thursday.
The county boss insisted that despite facing criticism from Members of the County Assembly and other leaders, she has diligently served the people.
“There is no governor who has been impeached three times in a year. And despite the suffering, I have worked and ensured the absorption of the budget to the tune of 72%. It was hard because of the challenges. If God and the people see it fit, they will re-elect me,” Mwangaza said.
A minimum of 78,000 signatures, equivalent to 10% of the 780,000 registered voters in Meru, is required to initiate the dissolution process.
