Kawira Mwangaza: Reprieve For Embattled Meru Governor As High Court Suspends Her Impeachment

• The High Court in Nairobi has stayed the impeachment of Meru governor Kawira Mwangaza, pending further legal proceedings
• Governor Mwangaza challenged the Senate's decision to uphold her removal from office, leading Justice Bahati Mwamuye to suspend the Senate's resolution
• The court issued a conservatory order preventing the implementation of Mwangaza's ouster and restrained Senate Speaker Amason Kingi from gazetting the impeachment

Kai Eli, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Nairobi - The High Court has stayed the impeachment of embattled Meru governor Kawira Mwangaza.

Mwangaza moved to the court to challenge the Senate plenary's decision late Tuesday, August 20, to uphold her removal from office.

Justice Bahati Mwamuye, in a ruling seen by TUKO.co.ke, suspended the Senate resolution until the case is heard and determined.

"Pending the inter partes hearing and determination of the Application dated 21/08/2024, a conservatory order be and is hereby issued staying the furtherance or the implementation of the Resolution of the Senate removing the Governor of Meru County, Hon. Kawira Mwangaza, from Office by way of impeachment," partly read Mwamuye's ruling.

The judge further restrained Senate Speaker Amason Kingi from gazetting Mwangaza's impeachment.

The case has been slated for mention on September 17.

Kawira Mwangaza's woes

The embattled county chief executive was impeached on August 8 when 49 out of 69 MCAs voted to oust her from office.

Mwangaza faced accusations of abuse of office, gross misconduct, and violation of the Constitution.

How senators voted to impeach Mwangaza

On the gross violation of the Constitution, 26 senators voted against the governor, with four of them striving to save her.

Fourteen lawmakers abstained.

On gross misconduct, 26 senators voted to send Mwangaza home, two voting in her favour, with 14 abstaining.

On abuse of office, 27 senators found the governor guilty, with one senator voting against the charge and 14 abstaining.

Kawira Mwangaza's previous impeachments

This was Mwangaza's third impeachment after others in the last two years.

She was saved by a Senate committee in 2022 when the first attempt to impeach her was actualised.

Another ouster attempt came in November 2023, when she was saved in a plenary of the Upper House.

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke