What Kawira Mwangaza Could Have Done Differently

Kawira Mwangaza is not a victim of male chauvinism, as many may purport. Kawira, who has served as the governor of Meru County since August 2022, was impeached on March 15, 2025, and her deputy, Isaac Mutuma, was sworn in as the fourth Governor of Meru County on March 17, 2025.

Despite Kawira's spirited attempt to convince the Kenyan Senate of her innocence with her legal team, as she has done before, it did not yield any fruit this time round. Kawira has managed to convince the Kenyan Senate of her innocence in multiple allegations of abuse of office, nepotism, and incompetency, among other accusations.

Kawira is a bishop at Baite Family Fellowship Church. Before joining politics, Kawira was actively preaching as a clergy member. She continued with this calling even in her political tenure, which began in 2013 when she contested for Buuri Member of Parliament, though passively.

In 2017, she contested for the women's representative seat. She lost in both contests but managed to secure the 2022 gubernatorial seat, overthrowing Kiraitu Murungi, who was the incumbent governor then.

Kawira and his husband, Apostle Robert Murega Baichu, run Baite Family Fellowship in Makutano. Here, they spiritually nourish their congregation. In addition, Kawira has been a long-time philanthropist through the Okolea Charity, which is a program of giving back to society and uplifting the less fortunate.

Kawira Mwangaza could not have lost her political career and could have maintained her dignity only if she had remained in her office of calling or profession. The references from the Bible below outline the consequences to priests who abandoned their offices to pursue other matters.

1 Samuel 13: 8 -15.

Saul waited seven days for Samuel to arrive at Gilgal, as instructed, but Samuel did not come.

1 Samuel 13:9:

The people began to scatter from Saul, fearing the Philistine army, and Saul became anxious.

1 Samuel 13:10:

In acting on his initiative, Saul offered the burnt offering and peace offering, which was not his role.

1 Samuel 13:11:

Samuel arrived, and Saul greeted him, but Samuel rebuked Saul for his disobedience.

1 Samuel 13:12:

Samuel stated that Saul's kingdom would not endure because he had not kept the Lord's command.

1 Samuel 13:13 Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you. For now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.

1 Samuel 13:14 But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”

1 Samuel 13:15 Then Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people present with him, about six hundred men.

This bible context describes Saul, the king of Israel, and Samuel, the priest in the same nation. Saul was supposed to go to war with his army, but this could not happen till a sacrifice was offered.

According to the commands of God, the priest was supposed to provide sacrifices while the king ruled the nation. So Saul, impatient for Samuel's arrival to perform the sacrifice, acted without authority, and then Samuel arrived, condemning his actions. This action led to Saul losing the kingdom to someone else, as outlined in verse 14 above.

Another biblical context explaining this analogy is the life of John the Baptist. Luke 1:66 states that the angel Gabriel foretold John the Baptist that he would live in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

Luke 3:19-20 - “But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the evil things he had done, Herod added this to everything else, he locked up John in prison.”

Josephus states that sometime after baptizing Jesus, John the Baptist was killed at the palace-fortress of Machaerus, which is located near the Dead Sea in the present Jordan. This analogy illustrates how John the Baptist abandoned his palace of destiny, 'the wilderness', to other peoples' palaces.

Of course, after abandoning his palace and being thrown into prison, Herodias, who was Herod's daughter, asked for John the Baptist's head for a birthday gift. Herod had no option because he had promised to give her anything she asked for after entertaining him and his visitors with a dance.

So Herod was sent to the prison, and John the Baptist's head was cut off and brought in a plate. Sadly, this is how John the Baptist died.

Kawira Mwangaza and other spiritual leaders must understand that priesthood is a unique 'profession' that cannot be substituted or abandoned. They can influence the political sphere inside their palace but not outside their God-appointed palace.

At the same time, they should not participate actively in politics to change or impact the political sphere. They need to discover how to influence the political space without abandoning their God-ordained professions and palaces and by not actively immersing themselves in the political arenas.

Therefore, Kawira Mwangaza can still regain her dignity if she accepts her mistake, rise up, dust herself, and go back to her palace. May this be an eye-opener to other ministers of God as well.