Meru County Assembly members (MCAs) have put the controller of budget on notice for approving budgets for nonexistent projects and ranking Governor Kawira Mwangaza among the best-performing governors.
Speaking during a visit to the Marimba Primary School, the MCAs stressed that the recent polls and reports placing Governor Mwangaza among the best performing in the country were skewed.
They gave the example of the Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) section of the Marimba Primary School, a project that had been deemed complete and operational but none of it was observed during their visit.
“The former governor Kawira Mwangaza is lying to people by documenting that this project has been completed and paid for,” one of the MCAs stated.
The chair of the education committee of the County Assembly on his part, revealed that the area MCA had allocated Ksh1.2 million to build the classroom but there was nothing to show for it.
“We are putting the controller of budget on notice. I don’t know if she is receiving bribes from the governor or what is going on because she has ranked her at position two in allocating county revenue but there are no such projects here,” he stated.
He went on to add that most of the 777 schools in the county were in the same state and that they would be summoning the chief officer of education to explain the expenses.
However, another MCA added that even though a report from the COB had ranked Governor Mwangaza at position four, he believed she had also been duped.
“I don’t blame the controller of budget because what she has been presented with is documentation detailing payments made for various projects making her believe the money has been used properly,” he said.
To curb this from happening again, they announced that they would be visiting all projects by Kawira Mwangaza to ensure none of them were incomplete and signed off as paid for.
In August this year, the senate finally upheld the MCA's decision to impeach Mwangaza after trying for the second time.
"The Senate has resolved to remove from office by impeachment Hon. Kawira Mwangaza, the Governor of Meru County, and the governor accordingly ceases to hold office," Speaker Kingi declared after the voting.
Even though the Meru Deputy Governor Mutuma M'Ethingia was set to assume the position for the remainder of the term, the governor took her chances to the High Court and was granted a reprieve on August 21.
Justice Bahati Mwamuye ordered the suspension of the Senate's decision and granted her conservatory orders delaying her removal from office until her case was heard.
"Pending the inter partes hearing and determination of the Application dated 21/08/2024, a conservatory order be and is hereby issued staying the furtherance of the implementation of the Resolution of the Senate removing the Governor of Meru County, Hon. Kawira Mwangaza, from Office by way of impeachment," the ruling read.
