Meru Governor-elect Kawira Mwangaza joins William Ruto’s team
Meru Governor-elect Kawira Mwangaza has officially joined President-elect William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza camp. Ms Mwangaza met Dr Ruto on Friday at his official residence in Karen, Nairobi.
“Thank you Meru County Governor-elect Kawira Mwangaza for choosing to work with Kenya Kwanza to drive Meru and Kenya forward,” Dr Ruto said.
Ms Mwangaza, who ran as an independent candidate, defeated bigwigs who have dominated Meru politics for years. She was declared the winner in the hotly contested election after garnering 209,148 votes.
The outgoing Meru Senator Mithika Linturi of United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party came second with 183,859 votes while outgoing Governor Kiraitu Murungi of Devolution Empowerment party, who was seeking his second term in office, came a distance third with 110,814b votes.
Ms Mwangaza, against all odds managed to send home Kiraitu who has never been defeated before in his political journey. She is the outgoing Meru Woman Representative, and is also a Bishop of Baite Family Fellowship church.
Mwangaza joined politics in 2013 when she ran for Buuri parliamentary seat but she lost. She later joined the PNU before moving on to Jubilee Party. After losing the Jubilee ticket in the nominations, Mwangaza decided to run as an independent candidate.
Ms Mwangaza among the seven women who have been elected as governors in the country. Others are Anne Waiguru (Kirinyaga), Susan Kihika (Nakuru), Cecily Mbarire (Embu), Gladys Wanga (Homa Bay), Fatuma Achani (Lamu) and Wavinya Ndeti of Machakos county.
The just concluded election also saw a number of women winning majority of the elective seats unlike in the previous elections.