From left: Long-time rivals Mithika Linturi, Peter Munya and Kiraitu Murungi
After the August 2022 elections, Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza and former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya exchanged pleasantries, even posing for a photo in her office.
In the run-up to the elections, Mr Munya had campaigned for Ms Mwangaza through his proxy, Tigania East MP Mpuru Aburi, who popularised the slogan, Ngabana ni mama (the governor is a woman).
Although they were in the same Azimio camp with Kiraitu Murungi, a long-running rivalry could not allow Munya to support Mr Murungi to clinch his second term.
The Azimio campaigns in Meru were characterised by so much back-stabbing and betrayal that Mr Muringi, the incumbent and a political supremo who had not lost a single election since he joined politics in 1992, came third after Ms Mwangaza and former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi.
But the camaraderie between Mr Munya and Ms Mwangaza was short-lived. How and why they fell out is known perhaps to the two close confidants.
At one point, in an apparent move to mend fences, Mr Murungi admitted that he had accepted defeat. “I was defeated by a Bishop, not an ordinary person”, he said adding that “Meru has to move on because we have the interest of the people at heart.”
However, within the first 100 days in office, Ms Mwangaza was facing an impeachment motion the county chief blamed on individuals she referred to as ‘cartels’, who the governor claimed had influenced members of the county assembly which impeached her twice, but the Senate overturned the ousters.
She did not survive the third impeachment in August last year, the Senate’s confirmation of which she is now fighting in court.
Ms Mwangaza is expected to know her fate on March 14, 2025, when the high court gives a ruling on the petition challenging her impeachment.
This ruling is what has set Meru on fire, politically. Secret meetings in Meru and Nairobi are being held every other day.
In a rare show of unity, the bigwigs – Mr Murungi, Mr Munya, and Mr Linturi are strategising on how to defeat Ms Mwangaza in 2027.
But they also say the court’s decision on her impeachment will determine Meru’s political path on whether to stick with UDA or head to Wamunyoro (former deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s residence).
There is speculation that the politicians have threatened to pull out of government in protest against the governor’s rule.
They held their first meeting on February 18, hours after attending a development forum at Deputy President Prof Kithure Kindiki’s official residence in Karen.
Speaking on Saturday after a second meeting at Thiiri Centre, the leaders said they were united for the benefit of the people of Meru. Meru parliamentary group chairman Mr Mugambi Rindikiri (Buuri) said more meetings are planned with the view of uniting all leaders, which will culminate in a rally at Maili Tatu in Igembe Central on March 16.
The Meru leadership wrangles have now sucked in President William Ruto and Prof Kindiki, with Ms Mwangaza’s camp claiming that the unity witnessed by rivals was a scheme to intimidate them into influencing the outcome of her case.
Each side of the political divide has been yearning for the support of the presidency even as the matter is yet to be decided by the courts.
Mr Mugambi Imanyara, an ally of Ms Mwangaza who fell out with Mr Murungi last year, has accused the bigwigs of intimidating Dr Ruto over the much-awaited court ruling.
“We know their intentions. They want to send a message that without their backing the people of Meru will shift to the opposition but that is not true. If they want to board the Wamunyoro bus let them do it today. Why wait for March 14 whereas the courts will not be influenced by outside forces? They will be shocked,” Mr Imanyara said in an interview.
But the former governor said they had no intention of leading the people of Meru to the opposition, stressing that they would stay in government for the sake of development.
Mr Murungi said he was excited by the unity of Meru political leaders as they chart the future of the region.
“We are in agreement that Meru is more important than our political ambitions. Meru is in the mud and we must refocus our politics. Time has come for us to unite to get out of the unending political fights,” he said.
On Sunday, Ms Mwangaza came out guns blazing, told off the leaders, and assured Dr Ruto and Prof Kindiki that she would deliver the Meru vote singlehandedly in 2027.
She accused the trio of plotting to join the opposition if the court decision did not favour them saying they were attempting to blackmail the presidency into having her hounded out of office.
According to Ms Mwangaza, her rivals were keen on having her removed from office by all means.
“They have gone as far as intimidating the president by threatening to join the opposition. However, I want to assure the president and his deputy that Meru supports the government. I am the only leader in Meru who holds a meeting without ferrying crowds. We cannot afford to join the opposition,” the Meru governor said.
She added, “The president should not be concerned by the threats from my opponents. They lost the election and have no followers here in Meru. The group of about 20 leaders can go ahead and join Rigathi Gachagua.”
A section of Njuri Ncheke elders also accused Mr Murungi, Mr Munya, and Mr Linturi of plotting ‘to lead the Meru people into the opposition’ for their selfish gain.
Njuri Ncheke's council of elders split last year as the clamor for the removal of Governor Mwangaza intensified leading to the formation of two wings with parallel leadership.
The splinter group of elders led by Adriano Aruyaru condemned the three politicians accusing them of an attempt to hijack last week’s consultative forum led by deputy president Kithure Kindiki.
“The president should know that the people of Meru love him. We support our governors in Meru and Tharaka Nithi. We will not allow Kiraitu and his team to take us into the opposition. They should respect the wishes of the people who elected President Ruto and the governor,” Mr Aruyaru said.
The governor’s spouse Murega Baichu claimed the unity of their rivals was inspired by the President’s decision not to support them.
“Recently, one of the Meru politicians asked the president to influence the courts to have the governor removed.
However, the president refused. Since the president has stood with us, we must stand by him,” Mr Baichu said during their weekly charity events.
