- Aburi said Mwangaza should stop working alone and work with other MPs.
- But Mwangaza accused the MPs of meddling in her leadership for their own interest.
Image: Dennis Dibondo
Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza has told off MPs Mpuru Aburi (Tigania East) and Moses Kirima (Central Imenti) for accusing her of skipping a national government function in the county.
The lawmakers last week termed the governor a lone ranger after she failed to attend an event in which Immigration PS Julius Bitok launched a civil registration office at Kaguru in South Imenti.
“Why is the governor holding a function just opposite our function? She should have come here so that we can lobby for development together,” Kirima said.
Speaking at Kiamwitari in North Imenti on Monday, Mwangaza told the MPs to leave her alone and instead focus on their development agenda as lawmakers.
“People should tell Kirima not to engage in wars he doesn’t know, he should concentrate on his development agenda as a legislator and let me do mine as the governor,” Mwangaza said.
The county boss said if she was to vie for MP against Kirima she would trounce him.
Aburi said Mwangaza should stop working alone and work with other MPs.
But Mwangaza accused the MPs of meddling in her leadership for their own interest.
“You cannot be a legislator then in your constituency you have done around five meeting since you were elected, while I have done about 30 meetings in each constituency in Meru county and then its like you are coercing me to attend your event. I have done many meet the people tours, do this MPs accompany me?” Mwangaza posed.
Meru deputy governor Mutuma M’ithinkia defended the governor saying she was not aware of the function where PS Bitok commissioned the Civil registration office.
“The Meru MPs who organised the event cannot keep the governor in the dark about the function and then later come to accuse her,” Mutuma said.
Mwangaza also accused Senator Kathuri Murungi of being behind her impeachment motion in the Meru assembly in December.
“He is pretending to be carrying water to extinguish the fire but he is instead carrying fuel,” she said.
Meru governor referred to the senator as ‘Gakobia’ (meaning the man with a cap) accusing him of pretending to carry out an oversight role yet he wants to run for governor in 2027.
The two leaders have of late been involved in a war of words with Murungi saying he will form a select a committee to investigate how public funds are being utilised in the county.
But Mwangaza said the senator's oversight quest is not genuine and alleged that he is out to malign her as he eyes the governor's seat.
“He is just hiding behind what he is terming as oversight role to malign me, he should come out in the public and tell residents that he wants to be governor in 2027,” she added.
“He wants to be governor but how can he start campaigning now? It is too early to be sincere. I went to the Senate and he is now here coming for me. I cried in the Senate and I was able to save my seat."
But Senator Murungi said there is no law that permits him to institute impeachment proceedings against a governor.
"According to the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, the Senator has no power to impeach a governor. It is not provided in law. Article 95 of our constitution gives Senate the responsibility to take resources to counties and provide oversight to those funds," Murungi said in a text message.
"I said that I will play my oversight role to the letter. The only practical thing the governor can do is to propose constitutional amendments through the Senate or National Assembly to remove the role of oversight from the Senators," he added.
On being referred to as Gakobia, the Meru senator said Mwangaza should stop calling other leaders names.
“I will never participate in answering insults and derogatory language, as far as I am concerned, I will continue to oversight,” Murungi said.
-Edited by SKanyara