Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza has lost her seat.
This comes after senators upheld her impeachment by the Meru county assembly.
In a contentious late-night voting session at the Senate, Senators—primarily from the Kenya Kwanza coalition—voted to confirm all three charges against the embattled Governor.
Despite her hopes of surviving a third impeachment motion at the Senate, this time, Kawira fell short as the government rallied enough support to remove her from office.
The lawmakers, by a majority voted, upheld all the three charges levelled against the county boss.
“The senate has resolved to remove from office by impeachment, the governor of Meru county Kawira Mwangaza and the governor accordingly, ceases to hold the office,” speaker Amason Kingi said.
Some 26 elected senators (delegation) voted to uphold the first charge on gross violation of the constitution and other laws.
Some 14 senators abstained while four voted in her favour.
In charge two, some 26 lawmakers found the governor guilty of abuse of office.
Fourteen senators abstained while two voted against the motion.
This was the third time Mwangaza faced senators following removal by MCAs in under two years.
On the abuse of office charge, 27 senators upheld the charge, one voted against it while 14 abstained.
The Senate session was marked by high tension, with Senators emerging from a closed-door session visibly charged, engaging in heated exchanges and shouting matches over points of order.
Majority Whip Bonnie Khalwale, one of the few who did not vote for the Governor’s removal, challenged the Speaker to address certain procedural issues before proceeding with the vote, evoking historical parliamentary figures like Martin Shikuku, Jean Marie Seroney, Chelagat Mutai, and JM Kariuki to emphasize his point.
“I am reflecting on the history of Parliament. If Martin Shikuku were alive, Jean Marie Seroney, Chelagat Mutai, JM Kariuki—they would have wanted the Speaker to settle the important issue of matters in this case that are actively before the courts because they are sub judice,” Khalwale argued.
Speaker Amason Kingi ruled him out of order, threatening to eject him from the chamber if he persisted. “Don’t push me into throwing you out; take your seat,” the Speaker ordered.
The session also saw drama when the Speaker instructed the Sergeant-at-Arms to remove Nominated Senator Beth Syongo from the chamber.
This order was met with resistance, as female Senators began wailing and protesting what they perceived as harassment by the orderlies.
Despite Kawira’s spirited fight to retain her position during her brief and turbulent tenure as Meru Governor, it appears she will now have to take her battle to the courts if she wishes to continue serving the people of Meru.