Mwangaza wants governor to apologise over alleged defamatory remarks

Former Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza and her successor, Isaac Mutuma. [File, Standard]

Former Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza has threatened to sue her successor, Isaac Mutuma, over alleged defamation.

Through the law firm Kaumbi and Company Advocates, Mwangaza has issued a demand notice to Governor Mutuma, requiring him to retract and apologise for the utterances made against her.

The firm claimed that Mutuma, on or about May 8, 2026, while addressing the public and, or through media interviews, uttered statements disseminated widely beyond Meru county.

Mutuma has been accused of falsely and maliciously claiming that Mwangaza was using proxies to institute court proceedings intended to halt county staff recruitment that had been advertised by the County Public Service Board, and bring down the public service board website that is meant to advertise vacancies.

The law firm said the alleged statements by Governor Mutuma implied that Mwangaza was clandestinely sponsoring litigation against the Meru County Public Service Board.

Mwangaza claims that Mutuma accused her of acting in bad faith to frustrate employment opportunities for Meru residents, and that she lacked integrity, transparency and leadership ethics befitting a public office aspirant.

"That the said statements were false in every material respect and were uttered and published recklessly, maliciously and with full knowledge that no evidence existed linking our client to the alleged court proceedings."

Mwangaza argues that she suffered grave injury to her reputation, political standing, public image and personal integrity.

In demanding an apology within 48 hours, she said the statements exposed her to public ridicule, odium, contempt, suspicion, political hostility and reputational damage among the electorate, professional peers, supporters and overall, the general public.

Mwangaza wants the county boss to issue a written admission of liability, acknowledge that the allegations were false, defamatory and lacked actual basis.

She demands that he publish a full unconditional apology in at least two media houses with coverage within and beyond Meru, his social media platforms or public forum where the defamatory statements were made.

Mwangaza says she plans to sue and seek general damages for defamation, aggravated and exemplary damages and permanent injunction restraining further publications of defamatory material, costs of the suit and any other relief the court may deem just.