Blow to Meru Governor Mwangaza as MPs vow to boycott reconciliation meeting
Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza (2nd Left) joins former Agriculture CS Peter Munya and family during the burial of Mr Munya's uncle Joseph M'Rukunga on October 22, 2022. Ms Mwangaza, who is in a stand off with MCAs, had called for a meeting to iron out their differences.
A meeting called by embattled Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza tomorrow in efforts to reconcile with Members of the County Assembly is likely to flop after MPs said they would not attend.
Led by Meru parliamentary group chairman John Mutunga (Tigania West), the MPs said they were unavailable due to engagements at the National Assembly. They also cited lack of consultation before the date was set.
The MPs are Mr Rahim Dawood (Imenti North), Mr Mpuru Aburi (Tigania East), Mr Julius Taitumu (Igembe North) and Dr Shadrack Mwiti (Imenti South).
The legislators complained the invitation was done on social media with Mr Dawood saying the nature of consultations was supposed to be treated with “confidentiality” and the seriousness it deserves.
They were also concerned about the governor’s official residence as the venue of the forum even as Mr Aburi demanded an apology from the governor for “insulting” leaders.
The meeting was expected to resolve a raging row between the governor and MCAs over the annual Ward Development Fund the latter had demanded should be made clear on how it will be implemented.
On October 31, the governor posted a letter on her Facebook page inviting leaders for a meeting on November 3 at her official residence but did not copy any of the area MPs. On Tuesday, Ms Mwangaza wrote a fresh one, this time addressed to assembly speaker and copied to all MPs.
“I first saw the letter on social media and this is not the manner to invite MPs for an official meeting,” Dr Mutunga said in an interview with Weru TV in Nairobi.
Governor's residence
Dr Mwiti said he would be “uncomfortable” attending a meeting at the governor's residence. “There are many other places we can hold the forum including her boardroom at the county headquarters," Dr Mwiti said.
The MCAs were also headed for the boycott after assembly Speaker Ayub Bundi said he would write to the governor today (Wednesday) to inform her of their unavailability.
“We were not informed in good time and there were no consultations before the date was set. I will officially inform her that MCAs said they will not be available,” Mr Bundi said on Tuesday night.
The MCAs complicated the reconciliation efforts when on Tuesday they rejected seven of her 10 nominees for the county executive posts, on grounds they did not demonstrate knowledge on the topical, administrative and technical issues affecting their departments.
This has sent Ms Mwangaza back to the drawing board with Mr Bundi saying since the nominees were rejected based on their ability to perform, there is no way the names would be reintroduced.
“If the issue was lack of some documents such as the KRA (Kenya Revenue Authority) tax clearance certificate or other documents there would be remedy but now she has to draw a fresh list,” he said.
The approved CECs were Monica Kaithiori Kathono (Finance), Dickson Munene Nkanata (Public service, Legal Affairs and Service Management) and Joseph Thuranira (Education, Science Culture, ICT).
Those rejected were Dr George Gikunda Mungania (Health), Kiambi Atheru (Water, Environment and Natural Resources), Esther Karimi (Trade, Tourism, Investment and Cooperative), Casty Micheni (Youth, Sports, Gender and Social Development), James Murungi (Roads, Energy, and Public Works), Japhet Ithinji (Lands) and Caroline Karea (Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries).
Ms Mwangaza kicked up a storm with the ward reps two weeks ago when she alleged that they had demanded a bribe of Sh5 million before endorsing her cabinet. She also claimed that the MCAs demanded that she employs their wives and girlfriends.
While former governors Peter Munya and Kiraitu Murungi had allocated Sh25 million and Sh20 million respectively for each of the 45 wards in Meru, Ms Mwangaza had during campaigns pledged to allocate a whooping Sh100 million annually.
The governor then wrote to Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o seeking clarification on the Ward Fund, after which Mr Bundi countered with another letter to the same office explaining why they had demanded clarification on the matter.
In a consolidated reply on November 1, Ms Nyakang’o cited the need to adhere to laid down procedures in the management of public funds and invited both parties to her office on November 4 for a consultative meeting.
