No one made headlines in 2023 more than Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza.
From failed impeachment attempts, a fake arrest, chaos in her Okolea programs and the never-ending political wars with Meru MCAs, Kawira has been the gift that has kept on giving.
Mwangaza ascended to the top county seat in 2022 on an independent ticket. She gazumped political heavyweights including former Governor Kiraitu Murungi and Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi to clinch the seat.
In her first year in office, Mwangaza initiated the Okolea Program which seeks to empower the local community through dishing out bursaries and gifting cows to homesteads.
Since being elected, Mwangaza has survived 2 impeachment motions lodged by Meru MCAs.
Despite the local politics that have tainted her tenure, Mwangaza was ranked among the top 10 performing governors by research firm Infotrak.
Mwangaza joined politics in 2013 and unsuccessfully vied for the parliamentary seat for Buuri Constituency.
In 2017, she was elected as the Woman Representative for Meru County.
At the time, she also served as a member of the House Business Committee and the Departmental Committee for Communication, Innovation and Information.
She has also ventured into the media industry as she owns the first Meru TV station known as Baite TV.