Senators vote to hear Mwangaza impeachment in plenary

The impeachment trial against Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza will be heard in Senate plenary after the House rejected a motion to have an 11-member team hear the charges against her.

The motion, tabled by Majority leader Bonny Khalwale, proposed that a team comprising him, Senators Karen Nyamu, Hillary Sigei, Abdul Haji, Wahome Wamainga, David Wafula, Gloria Orwoba, Issa Juma, Eddy Oketch, Shakila Abdalla, Beth Mwandeti and Beatrice Akinyi investigate the grounds for Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza's impeachment. 

The move was supported by some of the legislators including Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, who reckons a committee is the best way to decide the matter.

"The committee is a far superior way for interrogating these issues than plenary," he argued.

However, Senators attending the special sitting on Wednesday voted in favour of having the whole House decide the fate of Ms Mwangaza.

This is her third impeachment trial. Last week, 40 out of 69 members of the Meru County Assembly voted to impeach her. Another 17 opposed the impeachment motion while three did not vote.