Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza has officially lost her seat after the High Court upheld her impeachment, ruling that the process followed constitutional guidelines.

Delivering the judgment on Friday, March 14, 2025, Justice Bahati Mwamuye dismissed Mwangaza’s petition challenging her removal, affirming that the Senate’s decision to impeach her was lawful.

The ruling also validated the gazette notice formalizing her ouster.

“The amended petition dated December 23, 2024, has not met the required legal threshold for this court to overturn the Senate’s decision,” stated Justice Mwamuye.

Mwangaza had argued that the impeachment process was unfair, citing inadequate time for senators to debate the motion and chaotic proceedings that, in her view, compromised fairness.

However, the judge ruled that these claims lacked sufficient evidence, noting that even the official parliamentary record (Hansard) did not support her assertions. Additionally, no senators had filed affidavits to substantiate claims of limited debate time.

The court also dismissed allegations of gender bias raised by Mwangaza and the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), an interested party in the case.

Justice Mwamuye stated that neither the governor nor FIDA had provided specific instances of discrimination during the Senate proceedings.

With the ruling, Mwangaza’s impeachment stands, marking the end of her tenure as Meru’s county boss.

Unless she obtains stay orders from the Court of Appeal, the Deputy Governor Isaac Mutuma will take over.