A source told The Weekly Vision that it was Deputy President Rigathi Gachagwa who in his attempts to consolidate the Mount Kenya region behind him, brokered the deal to have the president support Mwangaza against the looming impeachment. DP Gachagua is said to have considered the composition of the Meru County Assembly where Azimio are the majority and that attempting to bring back Kiraitu to the political limelight will work against his presidential bid after Ruto’s terms as President comes to an end
Former Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi is a disappointed man. His move to defect from Azimio to Kenya Kwanza just after the last election and even holding a meeting with the then President-elect William Ruto in early September 2022, had a specific purpose. Sources told The Weekly Vision that an agreement signed between the two of them has not been honored and President William Ruto seems to have backtracked.
Top on the agenda was to ensure William Ruto’s support should a vacancy occur in the office of the governor. This was in anticipation of an impeachment motion against Governor Kawira Mwangaza succeeding. It was after the meeting that Kiraitu Murungi is alleged to have started plotting Mwangaza’s impeachment motion knowing so well that he had the support of William Ruto and top Kenya Kwanza leaders.
The impeachment motion has however been stopped by the High Court, MCAs are however plotting to reintroduce an impeachment motion in the County Assembly this week after the High Court stopped debate on the previous motion. Sources within the County Assembly indicate that a fresh motion has already been drafted and a notice would be given on the 13TH or 14th of November 2022.
In the county assembly of Meru, the Azimio coalition shrugged off the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) wave to secure 25 Members of the County Assembly against Kenya Kwanza Alliance’s 14. Five MCAs were elected as Independents. Kiraitu’s Devolution Empowerment Party (DEP) secured 13 seats, UDA (12), Jubilee (6), PNU (5), Independent (5), National Ordinary People’s Empowerment Union (Nopeu) (2), DP (1) and DPK (1)
But the President is said to have changed his mind about Kiraitu and is now pledging to support Governor Mwangaza. A source told us that it was Deputy President Rigathi Gachagwa who in his attempts to consolidate the Mount Kenya region behind him, brokered the deal to have the president support Mwangaza against the looming impeachment. DP Gachagua is said to have considered the composition of the Meru County Assembly where Azimio are the majority and that attempting to bring back Kiraitu to the political limelight will work against his presidential bid after Ruto’s terms as President comes to an end.
In the county assembly of Meru, the Azimio coalition shrugged off the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) wave to secure 25 Members of the County Assembly against Kenya Kwanza Alliance’s 14. Five MCAs were elected as Independents. Kiraitu’s Devolution Empowerment Party (DEP) secured 13 seats, UDA (12), Jubilee (6), PNU (5), Independent (5), National Ordinary People’s Empowerment Union (Nopeu) (2), DP (1) and DPK (1).
DP Gachagua declared support for Mwangaza to the chagrin of Mr Kiraitu’s supporter base who now claims that he had been shortchanged after being lured into joining Kenya Kwanza only to be betrayed. “The President and I will not allow any issues to stop development in Meru. Ruto has agreed that we will have a sitting with the Governor, Senator, MCAs and MPs, so that we make peace,” Gachagua said.
As if the two were following a well-crafted script, President Ruto on his part has also called on Meru leaders to unite and rally behind Mwangaza. He pledged to support her all through. “I will stand by you and fight with you. But when you go astray, know that I will be watching.”
