Former Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza has accused unnamed individuals of deploying armed goons to disrupt her political meetings in Igembe Central, alleging that some of the attackers carried machetes and pangas and that one suspect fired a gun.
Mwangaza, who is seeking a political comeback in the 2027 General Election, made the allegations on Sunday after reported confrontations at Gituine in Igembe Central and along the Laare road.
Former Governor Peter Munya who is also eying for the Governorship called on for sobreity.
“How can you incite people against a woman not to conduct a political meeting in Akirang’ondu claiming it is one’s stronghold? Is such a rally being done at your home? Why block her with goons? If truly you are a giant fighter, I dare you to walk the talk and go fight in bandit prone areas. Use those weapons to kill rustlers but we are aware you are a great coward,” Munya said.
In a series of posts on her Facebook timeline, the former governor accused her political opponents of sponsoring youths to intimidate her and supporters of the Linda Mwananchi movement.
“Goons are waiting at KK, Maili Tatu, Muringene and Kangeta. Sent to kill,” she wrote, alleging that groups had been mobilised to prevent her from meeting residents.
At Gituine, she posted: “Sponsored goons by cowards. Bonoko and associates, Igembe hatutoki,” using the nickname Bonoko to refer to Governor Isaac Mutuma M’Ethingia.
She challenged those she accused of orchestrating the violence, asking why they would mobilise groups of armed youths to confront one woman instead of allowing her to conduct political meetings freely.
“Mnaogopa mwanamke mmoja! Aibu kwenu!” she wrote, translating to “Shame on you, you are afraid of one woman! Shame on you!”
Mwangaza also questioned why, despite her impeachment in 2024, her political opponents would allegedly continue to frustrate her engagements with residents.
“Why ferry people in lorries carrying rungus, panga and machetes to kill only one innocent woman? Were they not satisfied by dethroning me as your governor?” she asked.
She said Igembe had played a significant role in her grassroots mobilisation through her Okolea Kaana ka Meru initiative and vowed to continue engaging residents despite the alleged intimidation.
“I want to ask the people of Igembe, have men become so cowardly that they pay goons so that I do not come to see my people? I came here to help the people of Igembe,” she said.
The former governor further announced that she intended to establish a home in Igembe, where she would stay until the current governor left office, while demanding an end to what she described as cartels controlling Meru politics.
“Bonoko must go. He is a traitor, he must go. We won’t allow cartels to continue governing Meru. We must sweep all the cartels once and for all,” she said, adding that she believed the county had recorded no tangible development since her removal from office.
Her claims of sponsorship and police involvement had not been independently verified bacause the National Police Service and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations had not issued a response to the allegations.
Former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi condemned the reported attack, urging leaders to reject political violence and pursue issue-based campaigns ahead of the 2027 elections.
“I have also called for peace and condemned goonism in the country. I urge leaders to embrace issue-based politics and reject violence as we approach the 2027 General Election,” Linturi said.
The latest allegations come amid a series of violent incidents and accusations involving politicians campaigning in Meru.
In September, former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya and Tigania East parliamentary aspirant Jacob “JJ” Titus condemned an attack on a Party of National Unity motorcade in Mikinduri.
They alleged that armed groups carrying rungus and machetes blocked their convoy and stoned vehicles, disrupting their political activities.
Munya and Titus called for investigations into the incident, which they linked to groups allegedly associated with area MP Lawrence Mpuru Aburi.
In the same month, Linturi accused unnamed leaders of deploying goons to disrupt a maize donation exercise in Kibuline, Mbeu Ward, claiming that his motorcade was stoned after he had warned area MP John Mutunga that he would visit the area.
Linturi said the confrontation disrupted an exercise intended to distribute maize seed to farmers.
In June, Munya and former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i accused rowdy youths of blocking roads with stones and attacking their convoy during a political tour of Meru.
The incidents have raised concerns about the safety of political meetings in the county as leaders position themselves for the 2027 elections.
Mwangaza’s latest allegations now add to calls for security agencies to investigate reported attacks, establish whether weapons were used and hold anyone found responsible accountable.
