Give Mwangaza time to deliver, Njuri Ncheke tell leaders

The Njuri Ncheke Council of Ameru elders has appealed to Meru leaders to give embattled Governor Kawira Mwangaza time to implement development agenda.

Just like in 2017 when the Njuri Council's top leadership endorsed her for Woman Representative, the elders have come out in defence of Mwangaza against onslaught by leaders.

The leaders accuse the governor of being a lone ranger and poor leadership, accusations she has denied, and accused her critics of trying to sabotage her administration.

Area leaders including former Governors Kiraitu Murungi, Peter Munya and former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi and Meru MPs have accused Mwangaza of poor leadership.

Njuri Ncheke secretary general Solomon Kinyua and National Vice Chairman Alphonce Kamwara asked the leaders to give the governor time to deliver and let the electorate judge her development record in 2027.

"The Njuri Ncheke Council of Ameru elders supports the Government of the day. That is why we are supporting President William Ruto and DP Kithure Kindiki at the national level. At the county level we support the governments of Kawira Mwangaza and Muthomi Njuki of Tharaka Nithi," said Mr Kamwara.

The Njuki Ncheke vice chairman said in the past the council supported Kiraitu when he was governor and all elected leaders, and they want to continue with that tradition up to 2027, when the people will decide at the ballot.

"As Njuri elders we supported former Governors Kiraitu and Munya up to the time the people voted them out. In the same fashion we are supporting Governor Mwangaza's administration so that she can deliver health, roads and other projects for our people. In 2027, it is the people who will decide if she has kept her development pledges or not, and vote accordingly," Kamwara said.

Mr Kinyua said as guardians of the community's interests the elders council does not want to see elected leaders gang up against Mwangaza and sabotage her work.

"We were very happy when President Ruto directed Njuri Ncheke elders to meditate unity of Mwangaza and other political leaders of Meru. That is still our goal. Mwangaza wants unity of all leaders, but unfortunately, the political leaders want her ejected from office by all means," he said.

"Njuri elders council is committed to protecting the children, women and other vulnerable groups. We don't want a situation where powerful men have come together with only one common agenda of fighting a woman leader. We want everyone who was elected in 2022 to be given an opportunity to deliver on their election pledges, and the people will judge all of them in 2027," he added.

Since her election in August 2022 the governor has faced a record five impeachment attempts by the Meru County Assembly.

The Meru Assembly has impeached Mwangaza three times, with the Senate upholding the third one.

The governor moved to court seeking to have the impeachment declared illegal.