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I apologise: Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza sees political light

Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza. [Phares Mutembei, Standard]

Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza is a bishop in the Baite Family Fellowship.

It, therefore, follows, she should have had no problem following the scriptures and forgiving the MCAS who are baying for her blood seventy times seven times.

Looks like she saw the light today at Nyambene where she made the belated public apology and, by extension, forgave her tormentors.

Speaking during a public participation forum Kawira said she was ready to 'apologize' to settle differences if only to get a chance to focus on delivering development pledges made to the people.

It is instructive, though, she did not come close to the number of times Jesus said one should forgive. But, the good governor tried her level best.

It was Peter who asked Jesus how often his brother shall sin against him, upon which he would forgive the troublesome sibling.

"Up to seven times?" Peter wondered.

Jesus said to him; "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven".

Today, Bishop Kawira followed the scriptures and at last asked the MCAs to forgive her, even as she maintained she had done nothing wrong. On her side, she didn't insist on the 70x7 standard recommended in the Holy Book.

Kawira led residents packed in a hall in 'apologizing' to each of the MCAs.

Meru County Assembly. [Phares Mutembei, Standard]

"The MCAs had said the governor should apologize, yet I have not wronged them. But because the MCAs are 69 with the Speaker making up 70 of them, we are going to apologize 70 times. Each of the 70 apologies is for each MCA, if that is what we need to get development!" she said.

Kawira said for Meru to be united and be on a path to development she was ready to apologize even as she maintained she did no wrong.

"I do not know what I have done to them but because I am a Christian. I want to fly a flag of peace if I have done them any wrong. If that is the remedy that we need for us to focus on the development of Meru I want to lead in seeking peace," she pleaded at Kangeta in Igembe Central

Among those accompanying her was former MCA Esther Karimi, whom she had nominated as Trade and Cooperatives Executive but the MCAs rejected her.

''The MCAs had accused Kawira of disrespecting them, claiming she had 'stormed' the Assembly recently where she was scheduled to address them before they walked out on her.

The tiff, is hopefully, over.

Mwangaza and Meru MCAs have been at loggerheads for a long time, for known and unknown reasons.

Though the MCAs have been vocal in their disagreement citing the lack of a ward development fund as one of the reasons they were unhappy, other accusations have been made against her.

As the tug of war degenerated the MCAs, led by Speaker Ayub Bundi, Majority Leader Evans Mawira and his Minority side counterpart Mwenda Ithili accused the governor of disrespecting them.

They openly displayed their disdain for the county chief by walking out of the Assembly when she arrived to give her inaugural address, cementing the enmity pitting the legislative and executive arms of the Meru County government.

Meru MCAs led by Minority Leader Ayub Bundi and Jubilee Woman Rep aspirant Gakii Mbui address the press at Makutano in North Imenti. [Phares Mutembei, Standard]

To show her who was boss the MCAs rejected seven out of the 10 people she had nominated as Executive Committee Members (CEC), citing various reasons.

Among them was the fact that the bishop in the Baite Family Fellowship had picked four pastors among the 10 members of the cabinet, indicating it was not representative.

But a more serious allegation against the governor was that the governor had painted MCAs in bad light before the residents by claiming they had demanded county jobs for their lovers.

A stand-off ensued as Kawira and the ward reps flexed their muscles with both sides accusing each other of treachery.

MCAs had upped the ante in their quest to oust her by also claiming she had insulted them by storming the assembly in violation of the Standing Orders and listed the wrongs Kawira had committed against them and asked her to apologize.

Perhaps the biggest bone of contention was the Ward Development Fund, a tool the MCA need to fulfil the pledges they made in the electioneering period, but Kawira stuck to her guns that they will not get any ward fund.

She said the ward fund was illegal but asked the MCAs to instead table the priority projects they wanted the executive to execute in their wards in the public participation forums she had arranged t the grassroots.

Speaker Bundi and other leaders of the assembly claimed Kawira was also not picking up their calls.

"As long as she does not want to talk to us we will also not talk to her," said Mr Mawira.

With nobody seemingly unwilling to cede an inch and the MCAs determined to remedy their situation with an impeachment motion sponsored by Dennis "DMK" Kiogora on November 30, no end to the tiff was in sight.

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