Hope for Meru as Mwangaza eats humble pie, agrees to meet MCAs

Meru County Governor Kawira Mwangaza. [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]

There seems to be light at the end of the tunnel for the troubled leadership of Meru County as Governor Kawira Mwangaza seeks to mend faces with ward representatives.

The reconciliation efforts started last week on Friday following the intervention of the Council of Governors led by the chairperson Ann Waiguru (Kirinyaga).

Ms Mwangaza has scheduled a consultative meeting with the MCAs on Thursday at 9am at her official residence to end the standoff.

The embattled governor has also invited Meru Senator Kathuri Murungi and several area MPs to the meeting in efforts to address the row with the assembly.

In the letter addressed to MCAs, dated October 31, Mrs Mwangaza said she was willing to sort out the misunderstanding that has threatened service delivery in the county.

"Meru County Government has been experiencing some misunderstanding for a while between the Executive and the Honourable County Assembly. Key among the cause of the misunderstanding is the ward fund... I am ready to discuss it with the honourable members of the county assembly on its management and come up with a workable solution," reads the letter.

The first-time governor has been at loggerheads with the MCAs over allegations of sidelining them while running county affairs.

Mwangaza had cut off all informal links with ward representatives demanding that they should write a formal letter requesting a ward development fund and explaining how it should be implemented within the law.

The MCAs had said they were willing to have a sit down with the governor but on two conditions.

One that the governor issues a public apology on claims that they had demanded a Sh5 million bribe to approve executive committee nominees and that some had demanded jobs for their girlfriends.

The MCAs also want local MPs involved in brokering the truce.

The sour relationship between the governor and the MCAs escalated after they walked out of the assembly before she gave her official address on October 19.

In protest, Mwangaza removed all MCAs from the county WhatsApp group daring them to bring it on.

She is facing impeachment over what the local leadership has termed as alleged nepotism in appointments.

A Meru resident, Salesio Thuranira, has petitioned MCAs to impeach Mwangaza over alleged gross misconduct and abuse of office.

MCAs have also been on Mwangaza's neck over claims that she does not involve them in county development matters

All eyes will now be on the MCAs to see whether they will honour the invitation or once again walk out on the first-time governor.