Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza remained unapologetic over her decision to remove Members of County Assembly (MCAs) from the county Whatsapp group as row between the executive and legislature persists.
Speaking during a media briefing on Monday, October 24, the embattled governor noted that she simply could not work with the MCAs and hence decided to shut down the platform that was to allow informal communication.
She castigated the ward representatives, for allegedly reporting their grievances to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
"I am the one who created the group, how do you stay in the same group with people you do not have an understanding with? You can't.
"If you see it is not working, then you remove them, and that is not a matter to report to the EACC," the governor stated.
Mwangaza argued that if anything was to go by, the platform was not created under the law and that she had the right to do away with it without notice.
She explained that the MCAs wanted to arm-twist her into releasing the ward fund she promised to allocate to each ward prematurely, and off the books.
"Let the speaker bring the document that shows the amount of money that you want. Whether it is Ksh200,000 or Ksh 200 million per year, I am ready to give you provided that it is written in the law,"
"I want it in a written document so that you do not throw me under the bus with the ward fund like you did when you claimed I have not made myself accessible to you," she added.
The third Meru governor claimed that the MCAs demanded incentives to do their work. She declared that she will remain firm and would not be intimidated by their theatrics.
Mwangaza called out the media over running a story pitting her under EACC's radar over irregular appointments to the county government.
"We as the county government of Meru have not received any formal communication from the EACC. We have not been served with any papers and after they do, we are in a good position to give all the relevant answers.
"I think it was unprocedural for the media to air such a story without reaching out to the governor and hear out from her side," she stated.
The county chief has had a push and pull with the ward reps who walked out on her as she made her inaugural address of the county assembly.
