Former Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza has accused her successor, Governor Rev. Isaac Mutuma M’Ethingia, of masterminding the political events that culminated in her impeachment, describing him as the “first Judas Iscariot” who betrayed her shortly after she appointed him as deputy governor.
Speaking during a political meeting, Mwangaza claimed Mutuma began plotting against her barely three months after assuming office, alleging he worked with what she termed as political cartels determined to remove her from power.
“We had not even served for three months before the person I had picked as my deputy started an inside job to remove me with political cartels driven by male chauvinism. He was the first Judas Iscariot. What wrong did I do by picking him from Igembe when he was only known as a prison warden carrying a 9kg gun?” Mwangaza said.
She claimed she handpicked Mutuma despite him making no financial or political contribution to her 2022 gubernatorial campaign.
“I looked for him four months before the election because I wanted someone to deputise me. He contributed nothing to our campaign, yet he later became greedy. Does a child kill a parent to inherit? I traversed Meru helping the needy before politics. What has he done for the people?” she posed.
Mwangaza argued that leaders who blamed her for Meru’s challenges had failed to improve service delivery since her removal from office.
“They united all their efforts to remove one woman, claiming I was the problem in Meru. But the problems are still there. Markets remain dirty, there are no bursaries, no boreholes are being drilled and residents are not seeing development despite claims that there is peace,” she said.
She further alleged that Governor Mutuma’s administration had dismissed three County Executive Committee members within its first year in office, saying the changes reflected instability in county leadership.
Also addressing the gathering, Meru Senate aspirant Mugambi Imanyara accused the county administration of mismanaging public funds and failing to involve residents in decision-making through public participation.
He further opposed any planned increase in county taxes, urging residents to resist what he termed as punitive levies.
“This is not the time to burden residents with more taxes. We will mobilise wananchi to oppose any increase because people are already struggling economically,” Imanyara said.
He also criticised reported plans to relocate miraa traders from Maua town, saying miraa remains the economic backbone of the Nyambene region and should instead be supported rather than disrupted.
The remarks come as political activity intensifies in Meru County ahead of the 2027 General Election, with leaders from rival camps increasingly trading accusations over governance, development and the county’s political direction.
Governor Mutuma M’Ethingia was not immediately available for comment on the allegations.
