Resolve Meru crisis fast

There appears to be no end in sight to the leadership wrangles in Meru County despite the Senate quashing Governor Kawira Mwangaza’s second impeachment by MCAs.

Calls for reconciliation between the governor and her opponents have fallen on deaf ears.

Having unanimously disagreed with the Senate decision, the MCAs are now said to be plotting to paralyse the county government by impeaching most of the executive team.

Should the officers be kicked out, that will force the governor to recommend a new team—which will, ironically, have to be vetted by the same MCAs who have shown immense hostility towards her.

Some residents are also now reportedly collecting signatures to push for the suspension of the county assembly.

Article 192 of the Constitution says a county can be suspended in a state of emergency or “in other exception circumstances” if the President is convinced that such a decision is warranted.

A petition to the President must be supported by at least 10 per cent of the registered voters in the particular jurisdiction, which would be 78,000 in the case of Meru.

In a move reminiscent of former Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana’s endorsement of a petition to dissolve the county government that he then headed, the Meru leader believes that is the way to go, publicly declaring that she is ready for it.

Resignation would not be in Mwangaza’s interest. Her deputy would automatically assume the position to complete the remaining time in her tenure—yet the DG is reportedly in the group seeking to push her out of office.

The governor, who was elected in the August general elections as an independent candidate, says she has worked very hard in the past year and was ranked among the top 10 governors in a recent opinion poll. The real losers will be the voters, who were expecting service delivery but might have to cast their ballots again.

Unless the rival camps reconcile, a dissolution may be necessary for the voters to pick a new team to lead the county.