Meru governor Kawira Mwangaza’s woes have deepened with the National Alternative Leadership Forum lobby group now urging the Senate to suspend the Meru County government, in addition to impeaching the embattled governor.
Th lobby group noted that the ongoing crisis, marked by persistent governance failures and unresolved conflicts, requires immediate and decisive action to restore effective leadership in Meru County.
National Alternative Leadership Forum decried that despite serious charges being labelled against the governor by the Meru County Assembly during previous attempts to impeach her, the Senate has on several occasions flexed its muscle and saved her leading to the administrative dysfunction in the county.
“Governor Mwangaza has faced repeated impeachment attempts by the Meru County Assembly due to serious allegations of financial mismanagement, abuse of office, and failure to uphold principles of transparency and accountability.
“Despite these serious charges, earlier impeachment motions were overturned by the Senate, allowing her to remain in office. This failure to act decisively has worsened the administrative dysfunction in Meru County.” Read the statement in part.
Residents of Meru underserved, delivery of essential services hindered
The statement added that the ongoing conflict that has dragged for years now with several attempts to send the governor packing has severely hindered the delivery of essential services to the residents of Meru County.
“Article 176 establishes county governments to promote decentralized governance and service delivery. The ongoing dysfunction in Meru County demonstrates a failure to meet these constitutional mandates. Additionally, Article 179 requires that a county governor be accountable to the people and the county assembly. Governor Mwangaza’s failure to collaborate effectively with the MCAs represents a breach of this responsibility.” Noted the lobby group in its statement.
Further, the statement noted that the persistent squabbling goes against several Articles of The 2010 Constitution.
“This persistent squabbling is a clear violation of the principles of devolution as outlined in the Constitution of Kenya, 2010. Specifically, Article 174 emphasizes the need for devolution to enhance public participation in governance and ensure effective service delivery at the local level.
"The inability to resolve the conflict between the governor and the MCAs undermines these fundamental goals.” Noted the lobby group in its statement.
NALF's demands to The Senate and National Government
National Alternative Leadership Forum now wants the national government to intervene and solve what it termed as a leadership crisis in Meru county that has seen residents go without essential services due to the conflict between the governor and MCAs.
“Article 192 empowers the National Government to intervene in county affairs under specific circumstances, such as when a county government is unable to perform its functions or when there is a crisis. The prolonged governance crisis in Meru County meets the criteria for such intervention.
Furthermore, Article 231 allows the National Government to assume control of a county government if it is unable to function properly, ensuring that essential services and governance are maintained.” Read the statement in part.
Leadership crisis in Meru
Placing the blame squarely at the doorstep of the governor and the County Assembly, National Alternative Leadership Forum prescribed its remedy to the governance crisis in the county as immediate action in the Senate to Impeach the governor and having the county government suspended with the national government taking over operations.
It noted that the ongoing governance crisis is severe and has left the residents of Meru County underserved.
The statement signed by NALF officials including Fwamba NC Fwamba (Chairman), Ouma Odera (Deputy Chairman), Cathy Irungu (Secretary General) and Council Members Silas Otuke, Hon Mwaniki Maina, Mwenda Gatobu and Polycarp Meyo called on all stakeholders to support these measures to ensure accountability, restore integrity in governance, and uphold the constitutional promises of devolution in Meru County.