By MIKE MAKARINA
The election of Kawira Mwangaza as the governor of Meru in 2022 was an unprecedented political milestone in a highly patriarchal society. Since then, Meru county has never known peace. The governor has persistently fought political wars directed to her from right left and centre. During the 2022 campaigns I was on the Azimio La Umoja Coalition camp and I vigorously campaigned for Azimio Presidential candidate Raila Odinga and therefore against Kawira Mwangaza.
However, the voters decided that Kawira will be their governor for five years until another election is held. It is important to note that governor Mwangaza competed against two senior politicians in the county, Kiraitu Murungi (Azimio) and Mithika Linturi who rode on the unprecedented United Democratic Alliance (UDA) wave.
Truth be said, mama’s victory took many by surprise. Those who were aware of the massive groundwork the lady had done, took the victory in stride and moved on. Yet, there are people who have never forgiven her for winning.
After the election, they swore that governor Kawira will not serve the full five year term.
These are the people who went under the trenches and have been instigating impeachment motions against the governor by the county assembly of Meru. One of the reasons the governor is being fought by the elite is because of her uniquely humble approach to leadership.
“The governor works with and through the ordinary people in the villages and markets. You will never find her cutting deals with the rich and powerful elite in five star hotels.”
Mike Makarina
When she’s not in the office, she is on development and empowerment tours across the county, meeting and mingling with wananchi wa kawaida. In the evenings and on Sundays she is always in prayers. For this, the aristocrats label the governor as arrogant and uncooperative. According to the elites, cooperation means the governor bowing to their selfish demands for tenders and other favours at the expense development.The other reason is simple – she is a woman. In our Meru culture, the place of the woman is the kitchen when she is not working in the shamba.
In fact, a woman who was known to be lazy in the shamba hardly found a man to marry. Now here comes a lady who breaks the glass ceiling and becomes the queen of a land where male chauvinism is a natural instinct. This explains why the lady has been vehemently distracted from delivering service and development to the voters.
The MCAs who have been at the forefront voting for mama’s impeachment are motivated by both selfish interests and those of their sponsors. There have been claims that some of them have been holding the governor at ransom demanding facilitation for them to pass laws and policy issues at the assembly. Behind their actions, there is a cartel of scheming elites who cannot wait for the opportunity to be at the eating table. I want to urge them to allow the governor to serve the people of Meru until 2027 then face her on the ballot because these battles are hurting the people of Meru.
Democracy is such that we must respect the will of the people. This idea of trying to get to power through shortcuts should not be entertained.
Impeachment should be on solid grounds and not a continuation of post-election bitterness. The drama in Meru should inform serious thinking in the way devolution is handled in the entire country because governors cannot serve effectively under constant harassment by MCAs. I humbly urge the senate to stop this madness and allow governor Kawira Mwangaza to continue with her good work in the interest of the people of Meru.
The Writer, Mike Makarina, is a Social Political Activist in Kenya
