Revealed: How Sh100 million was raised to impeach Mwangaza

Former Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi and former Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza during the Meru ASK Show. [File, Standard]

The impeachment of former Meru governor Kawira Mwangaza was financed by a section of leaders who wanted her out, former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has said.

Mr Linturi claimed that just as the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was financed, so was Mwangaza’s.

In an interview with a Meru-based TV station Sunday night, Linturi, the Democracy for Citizens Party organising secretary, sensationally claimed that he played a crucial role in mobilising money that was used to ensure Mwangaza was impeached.

Linturi and the incumbent Kiraitu Murungi lost to Mwangaza in the 2022 election.

Linturi, who said Mwangaza’s leadership was not good and had to be changed, hosted meetings to raise funds that would be used in the impeachment process.

Kawira had no respect for Meru leaders, he said.

“I summoned MPs and my friends. We met and mobilised funds, Sh100 million, because we wanted to free Meru from poor leadership,” he said.

He said other financiers were CEOs who were his friends.

Linturi, who had emerged second in the 2022 gubernatorial contest, claimed one of the MPs took the money to the leaders who were to oversee Mwangaza’s impeachment.

He said the process of getting Mwangaza out and replacing her with her deputy, now Governor Mutuma M’Ethingia, was hard-fought.

“We were going to battle. The battle to get Mutuma into office was financed by Merus of goodwill”, Linturi said.

He claimed two of the 12 Meru MPs contributed some of the largest amounts used to finance the ouster.

“I thank the people who came. I have no problem carrying the burden,” he said.

In a confession that has attracted widespread reactions, Linturi said though the Meru leaders succeeded in getting Mwangaza out of office, he was disappointed that Governor M’Ethingia had not delivered in terms of the development they had expected.

Yesterday, Ms Mwangaza, who formed the Umoja na Maendeleo Party (UMP) following her ouster, said it was now in the open that money exchanged hands in her impeachment, which she has contested in the Court of Appeal.

“The one and only thing completed by Meru leaders for two years was raising over Sh100m to bribe to support the impeachment of the independently elected governor of Meru county,” she said of her ouster.

Linturi and M’Ethingia started off on a friendly note, but their relationship has since soured.

His running mate in the 2022 election, Linda Gitonga, is now deputy governor, but he says M’Ethingia had not delivered as per their expectations.

Linturi announced that after conducting public participation forums across Meru, he had made a decision to run for governor next year.

“Meru has great potential for development, but the problem is (bad) leadership. The people have asked me to be on the ballot, and I have accepted that call.”

He said he was determined to ensure Meru reclaims its ‘lost glory’.