Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza has suffered a major blow after the High Court upheld the Senate’s decision to impeach her.
In its ruling, the court stated that the Senate had acted within the Constitution during Mwangaza’s removal process. It dismissed her claims that the impeachment was marred by irregularities, stating that she had failed to provide sufficient evidence to support her allegations.
“This court finds that the amended petition is without merit and dismissed. The gazette notice published on 21 August 2024 to remove her from office is affirmed,” ruled Justice Bahati Mwamuye.
The court further directed that all constitutional requirements regarding the vacancy be adhered to within the stipulated timelines.
Additionally, the court determined that the Senate did not violate any court orders during the impeachment. Mwangaza had argued that the Senate proceeded with her removal despite pending court proceedings aimed at blocking the process. However, the court found no substantial proof that the Senate had defied any valid court directive.
“The Senate could not have disobeyed orders that were never properly brought before it,” the ruling stated. The court emphasized that if Mwangaza wanted to halt the process, she should have taken the necessary steps to extract and present the relevant court orders. Since no conclusive evidence of contempt was provided, the impeachment was allowed to stand.
Regarding public participation, the court acknowledged that it is a constitutional requirement but clarified that, in an impeachment process, it primarily occurs at the county level rather than in the Senate.
