The battle for political survival by Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza shifts to the Senate as she is set to defend herself during the start of the impeachment hearings Tuesday.
The County Assembly is expected to make its case on before a committee of the whole House to outline its reasons for impeaching her.
On Wednesday, Governor Kawira’s legal team comprising of nine lawyers will make their case as they seek to insulate her from impeachment by the Senate.
The hearings will last for two days with the County Assembly expected to take the better part of Tuesday to prosecute its case against the Governor and summon witnesses.
And like her previous impeachment in December last year, both teams have retained their lead counsels, Dr.Muthomi Thiankolu for the County Assembly and Elias Mutuma for the Governor.
Each side has been allowed nine legal representatives including the lead counsels.
The County Assembly has lined up seven witnesses and is seeking leave to call more witnesses to the stand to substantiate the eight charges leveled against her.
In what could reveal the scale of the split between the Governor and the County political leadership, in the witness list is Buuri MP who is the chair of the Meru Parliamentary caucus Mugambi Rindikiri.
Governor Mwangaza will also take the stand to defend herself while her legal counsels are expected to present three other witnesses.
All the elected 47 Senators will take a vote on each the charges leveled against her.
If the plenary upholds any of the charges, Governor Mwangaza will stand impeached and will cease to hold office.
If the plenary dismisses the charges, it will have handed her a political lifeline booking her slot in the history books as the first Governor to survive two impeachments within one year and effectively dealing a blow to the jinx of Governors who have been tried in plenary and survived impeachment.
Jacob Kioria
