Njuri Ncheke divided over Governor Mwangaza's impeachment

A row is brewing within the Njuri Ncheke Council of Ameru leaders over the impending impeachment of Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza.

The Standard has established the council is split with a faction claiming the council does not have the powers to unite the governor and MCAs.

This comes as the Meru High Court Judge Linus Kassan directed Governor Mwangaza and MCAs to appear before the Njuri council for mediation.

President William Ruto had also directed leaders from the region to embrace dialogue.

The council leadership comprising Chairman Linus Kathera, Secretary General Josphat Murangiri (Operations), Washington Muthamia (Programmes), and other elders in response said the elders had no capacity to implement the court order.

Justice Kassan had on July 29 issued conservatory orders stopping the impeachment proceedings after Nominated MCA Zipporah Kinya tabled it and set a ruling for August 20, 2024.

Kassan's directive which attracted divergent views from leaders and residents has sparked a row in the Njuri Ncheke council.

"That Njuri Ncheke Supreme Council of Ameru elders are hereby ordered to submit their resolution or lack of it on the dispute between the parties herein as directed by the President of the Republic of Kenya not later than three weeks from today," the judge said.

He added; "That parties herein are directed to appear before Njuri Ncheke with their advocates before Wednesday the 31st of July 2024."

"That to promote an active ADR, Ruling is deferred to 20th August 2024."

Youthful protesters carry placards demanding the dissolution of Meru County as MCAs plan to impeach Governor Kawira Mwangaza for a third round. [Phares Mutembei, Standard]

But speaking at their Nchiru shrine headquarters in Tigania West, Kathera who was flanked by Murangiri and Muthamia disowned an earlier application allegedly made by the council seeking to be enjoined in the court as amicus curiae, or friends of the court.

"As Njuri Ncheke leaders we did not seek to be friends of the court in the impeachment case. We cannot interfere in the assembly business," Kathera said, adding that the only thing they could do was try to reconcile the Meru leaders as instructed by President Ruto.

But a faction led by Andrian Aruyaru stormed the Shrine and told their colleagues off, arguing that the Njuri council can implement the court order to listen to the warring parties and forward the report to the court.

The elders who arrived at the shrine with sheep and cows for a 'cleansing' ceremony there, said the role of elders was to unite Meru leaders, and the rest of them were not happy with the unending conflict pitting Mwangaza and the Assembly.

Accompanied by tens of elders, Aruyaru said they had for ages presided over Alternative Dispute Resolution and thus had the capacity to listen to all the political leaders' grievances against each other and compile a report for the court, as Justice Kassan had ordered.

"We are perturbed by the secretary general (Murangiri) saying the elders have no capacity to resolve the differences. We have that capacity and we want to unite all the leaders as the president said," he said.

Mike Makarena, a political activist told off those who do not want to see the elders unite the Governor and MCAs.

Makarena appealed to President Ruto to dissolve the county to pave a way for fresh elections.

"They want to impeach the Governor all the time. Everyone should accept Mwangaza is our leader".