Meru MCAs have forced me out of governor's residence, Kawira Mwangaza's husband claims

Governor Kawira Mwangaza and her husband Murega Baichu. [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]

Murega Baichu, the husband of Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza, has claimed that MCAs have forced him out of the official residence of the governor.

Baichu spoke at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi on Friday, October 28.

At the courts, the Meru first family formally responded to a petition that a resident, Thuranira Mutuma, had filed before the EACC, seeking the removal of Mwangaza over alleged abuse of office.

Mwangaza denies the allegations.

The governor's husband said Meru ward representatives had personalised the attacks against Kawira Mwangaza to the extent of extending their aggression to him.

He claims the MCAs do not want him to sleep in the official governor's residence or use the official county vehicles.

"I've been forced to use a wooden house that my wife and I lived in before she relocated to the official governor's residence. According to the MCAs, I am not supposed to sleep in the governor's official residence because I am not a State official," said Baichu.

"The EACC should now enlighten me on the boundaries I shouldn't cross as the spouse of an elected governor. I'm mostly interested in knowing whether I can sleep in the governor's residence or I can use the county government vehicles," said Baichu.

The EACC clarified on Friday evening that it was investigating Governor Kawira Mwangaza over alleged conflict of interest, nepotism and abuse of office, downplaying its role in determining where Baichu sleeps, or whether he should use county vehicles.

"The commission takes great exception to the strange averments ensuing from the press conference alluding to alleged directives regarding the use, or otherwise, of the governor's official vehicles and residence by her spouse," the EACC said in a press statement.

"The commission clarifies that its subject letter to the governor dated October 19, 2022 was strictly limited to allegations of conflict of interest, nepotism and abuse of office against her.

"Consequently, the strange issues raised in the press conference were neither raised by the commission nor were they part of the contents of its letter to the governor. Such are not matters that concern the commission."

Meanwhile, there is a petition filed by a resident of Meru County seeking the impeachment of Governor Mwangaza over alleged abuse of office and gross misconduct.

The County Assembly Speaker Ayub Bundi told The Standard that the assembly will go through the grounds for the petition and decide whether to undertake subsequent actions, or reject it.

Governor Mwangaza, however, denied malpractice, saying the petition was sponsored by MCAs who are trying to arm-twist her over ward development fund.