'EACC only told media': Governor Kawira Mwangaza declines to address agency's claims

Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza has declined to respond to accusations of nepotism, conflict of interest and irregular recruitment that were made public by the anti-graft watchdog in a letter, terming them as hearsay.

"I cannot comment on the EACC (Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission) matter because I saw it in the media. We will respond accordingly once they serve us formally. However, as it stands, the allegations are hearsay," the governor said during a press conference held on Monday morning.

However, Ms Mwangaza reckons the EACC letter could be as a result of her stand-off with Members of County Assembly (MCAs). 

"I am surprised that EACC gave the letter to the media before serving me. I suspect that the media report was influenced by my political enemies. The media should have sought my side of the story," she said.

Addressing journalists at the county headquarters, Ms Mwangaza was accompanied by her husband Murega Baicu, who is at the centre of EACC's accusations of nepotism after he was recently appointed the county's youth patron and hustlers’ ambassador. 

“While the information within our knowledge is that Mr Murega Baicu will be performing his duties without pay, we find this inconsistent with this provision because the office he occupies is a public office within the meaning of this article whether or not he draws a salary,” EACC states.

In the letter dated October 19, the EACC had also cited the governor for allegedly hiring her sisters as her aides.

"It is reported that you have employed two of your sisters to public office, one as your personal assistant and another as security personnel,” EACC says in the letter.

But in Monday's presser, she wrote off the whole episode as an instance of her political detractors using the anti-graft agency to fight her, while accusing MCAs, who dramatically walked out on her last week, of diversionary tactics. 

"They have now written letters to the EACC to keep me busy in the media and bar me from working for the people," she said, adding that she has written a number of letters to the EACC calling for investigations yet the agency had not publicised them.

"We have written to EACC to investigate the Meru Youth Service centre land deal, pending bills, revenue board among others. Why hasn't the media not written about these letters," she wondered.

The anti-graft watchdog had also accused her of directing county staff to work for Baite TV, a media house owned by her family. Ms Mwangaza is also alleged to have directed county workers to use their social media pages to promote her political activities.

Clash with MCAs

Ms Mwangaza, who is facing a rebellion from Meru MCAs, appeared to have softened her stance on the stand-off with the ward reps. At the press conference, she indicated that she will no longer deal with the ward reps informally. She said they need to write a formal letter requesting for a ward fund since it is not founded in law.

"I have been engaging with the MCAs but since it was informal, they have blackmailed me. I want them to write an official letter indicating the amount of money they want, the checks and balances and the legal backing. I promised Sh100 million per ward every year," Ms Mwangaza said. 

Ms Mwangaza attempt to make her inaugural address to the county assembly last week flopped after the ward reps walked on her.

They accuse the governor, who was elected on an independent ticket, of sidelining them when visiting their wards and "belittling them".