Kiraitu Murungi’s Development Empowerment Party disciplined one of its members over her allegiance to the Meru governor, Kawira Mwangaza.
The DEP party called for the withdrawal of Ruth Kananu from six county government committees. The decision was largely fueled by the MCA visiting and having a handshake with Governor Mwangaza.
Kananu, who was nominated to the county assembly by Murungi's DEP party, was suspended from Selection, Public Accounts, and investment, Agriculture, Health, Education, and Land committees.
“The party which sponsored her to the assembly had given directives on how members should behave during negotiations. She jumped the gun and even met the governor ahead of the negotiations.
"This was a selfish move that was not in the interest of the party or the Meru people,” explained Mwenda Ithili, the leader of the minority in the county assembly.
Ithili added that the MCA was answerable to the party and should defend its interests, some of the conditions for being rewarded with a nominated seat.
The move by the MCA, according to Ithili, was likely to derail negotiations between the county lawmakers and the Executive spearheaded by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
As much as she reportedly sought to end the animosity between the governor and the MCAs, her decision to meet her alone was perceived as ill-timed and ill-advised.
In her defense, the nominated MCA highlighted that she attempted to solve the stalemate between the MCAs and the governor, despite being one of Mwangaza's harshest critics.
MCAs and the county chief have been wrangling since September 2022, with the two parties failing to agree on allocating funds for the community ward projects.
The MCAs argued they could not settle for less than Ksh20 million in the 2023/24 financial year.
Negotiation efforts between the MCAs and the governor ended in a deadlock with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua intervening. Gachagua was expected to call for a final negotiation meeting on the arguments.
