The High Court has barred the impeachment motion against Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza, ruling that the county lawmakers did not adhere to stipulated procedures.
In its ruling, the court stated that the procedure followed was flawed and threatened to violate the rights of Governor Mwangaza.
According to the judge, the court was obliged to protect against the violation of the governor's rights in the process of impeaching her.
“It is the singular authority of the court to deal with threatened violations before they happen and to give appropriate reliefs including conservatory orders in terms of Article 23 (3) of the constitution,” the ruling stated.
"It is therefore ordered that the impeachment motion dated November 21 by MCAs and scheduled for debate on November 30 at 10:00 am is flawed and is quashed," she added.
The ruling was a relief for the embattled governor who, since her ascension to power, has been in the spotlight for the controversial relationship with the legislative arm of the county government.
MCAs were set to debate the motion once again before voting to decide whether to retain or send home the county boss.
They had also accused her of abuse of office and nepotism in managing the affairs of Meru County.
68 out of 69 MCAs voted in favour of the motion which was the culmination of a protracted push and pull between the two parties.
In addition, a section of Meru residents backed the motion sponsored by the assembly to impeach their governor.
The residents argued that Mwangaza's refusal to allocate funds for the Ward Development Fund, as demanded by the MCAs, would deprive them of the required development projects.
On her part, Governor Mwangaza remained adamant that she had not violated any law and maintained that the accusations levelled against her were ill-motivated.
"If there is a regime that will deliver transformative progress, it's this one. I will deliver Meru County from perennial servitude and poverty," Mwangaza stated on Tuesday, November 29.
