Meru County calls off impeachment hearing against Governor Mwangaza
Meru County Assembly has called off a planned debate on the motion to impeach Governor Kawira Mwangaza following court orders suspending the hearing.
According to a press release from the Assembly Clerk the debate on the impeachment motion set to take place today, November 30 from 10 am will not proceed.
“The County Assembly of Meru will not debate on the Motion for the Impeachment of Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza that was scheduled for today, Wednesday, November 30, 2022. This follows conservatory orders issued by Justice Thripisa Cherere in Constitution Petition No E024 of 2022, sitting at the Meru High Court,” said the press release.
The Meru High Court suspended the hearing of the motion seeking to impeach the Mwangaza on various accusations of gross violation of the constitution, a gross violation of various national and county laws, abuse of office, and gross misconduct.
In the ruling, Justice Cherere said that the Meru County Assembly did not follow a proper procedure in initiating the motion.
Cherere barred the assembly from debating the motion that she termed as flawed and infringing on Mwangaza’s constitutional rights.
“That conservatory order be and is hereby issued prohibiting the respondents from discussing, debating, or in any way whatsoever dealing with the impeachment motion against the petitioner scheduled for debate on November 30,” read the ruling in part.
The Meru County Assembly Speaker Ayub Bundi Solomon said the House will obey the rule of law. The assembly however has vowed to revisit the impeachment motion.
“We have an obligation to respect the orders of the court as it has already pronounced itself, and the assembly will abide by the orders therein,” said Bundi.
At the moment, Governor Mwangaza can breathe with ease, but it remains to be seen how the two crucial bodies will work.