By: Mary Wahome
Kawira Mwangaza’s political career has been defined by resilience, grassroots mobilization, and legal challenges.
She started as a teacher and counselor before venturing into business, establishing Mwangaza Distributors in Makutano, Meru.
Her entrepreneurial success led her to co-found Baite TV, a vernacular station that became a powerful platform for addressing social and economic issues.
Through this medium, she launched initiatives like Operation Okolea to uplift vulnerable groups in Meru.
Her entry into politics was marked by determination.
In 2013, she vied for the Buuri parliamentary seat but was unsuccessful.
However, in 2017, she ran as an independent candidate and won the Meru County Woman Representative seat.
Her tenure was characterized by grassroots activism and community development projects, which significantly boosted her political influence.
In 2022, she made history by contesting the Meru gubernatorial seat as an independent candidate and winning against seasoned politicians, including the incumbent Kiraitu Murungi and former Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture Mithika Linturi.
Despite her historic victory, Mwangaza’s tenure was fraught with tensions with the Meru County Assembly.
On August 21, 2024, after a third attempt to remove her, the Assembly successfully impeached her on grounds of gross misconduct, abuse of office, and constitutional violations.
The Senate upheld the impeachment, with 26 senators voting in favor of her removal.
Determined to fight her ouster, Mwangaza challenged the decision in the High Court, citing procedural violations, lack of a fair hearing, and inadequate public participation.
She argued that her impeachment did not meet the legally established threshold for the removal of a governor.
Additionally, she questioned the constitutionality of Section 33(8) of the County Governments Act, which allows the reintroduction of impeachment charges after three months, terming it a violation of Article 50(2) of the Constitution on double jeopardy.
On the same day of her impeachment, Justice Bahati Mwamuye temporarily halted the Senate’s resolution, allowing her to remain in office.
However, the Senate challenged the court’s intervention, arguing that it encroached on their mandate and violated the principles of natural justice by not allowing them to be heard before the ruling was made.
On March 14, 2025, the High Court upheld the Senate’s decision, ruling that the impeachment process had followed due legal procedure. Justice Mwamuye dismissed Mwangaza’s petition, stating:
“The amended petition dated December 23, 2024, has not met the required legal threshold for this court to disturb the decision of the Senate.”
The judge further affirmed the impeachment through a gazette notice issued on August 20, 2024, effectively ending Mwangaza’s tenure as governor.
Following this ruling, Deputy Governor Isaac Mutuma M’Ethingia assumed office, ensuring continuity in Meru County’s leadership.
Mwangaza’s political and legal battles underscore the complexities of county governance in Kenya, highlighting the fragile balance between political leadership, legislative oversight, and judicial intervention.
