NAIROBI, Kenya Mar 22 – Meru Governor Isaac Mutuma M’Ethingia has nominated Lawyer Linda Kiome as his deputy who now awaits vetting and approval by the Meru County Assembly before assuming office.
Kiome is the daughter of Samuel Kiome Rimbere, a former councilor and the first Member of County Assembly (MCA) for Meru’s Municipality Ward.
Her nomination as Deputy Governor comes in the wake of Governor Mutuma’s recent inauguration, following the impeachment of his predecessor, Kawira Mwangaza.
In January 2025, President William Ruto appointed Kiome as the Vice-Chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Selection Panel, where she deputized Nelson Makanda.
Subsequently, she briefly served as the legal advisor to Governor Mwangaza before their professional relationship deteriorated, leading to her dismissal in April 2024.
Kiome ventured into politics in 2022 when former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi selected her as his running mate in the Meru gubernatorial race; they finished second to Kawira Mwangaza.
Her legal career includes serving as the acting President of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) following the ouster of Nelson Havi in January 2022.
She also chaired the LSK Mt. Kenya caucus and was a board member of both the Meru National Polytechnic and the Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital.
Meru County has been a hotbed of political wrangles and leadership instability since the 2022 general elections.
The turmoil escalated during the tenure of Governor Mwangaza, who became the first woman to lead the county after defeating established political heavyweights.
However, her administration was marred by a series of clashes with Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) and her own executive, leading to persistent governance challenges.
Governor Mwangaza faced two impeachment attempts within less than two years in office. The first impeachment was overturned by the Senate in 2022, but tensions with the MCAs and other leaders persisted.
She was accused of abuse of office, nepotism, and high-handedness, claims she consistently denied, framing them as political witch-hunts. Despite surviving the initial attempt, she was finally impeached in February 2025, marking the climax of Meru’s prolonged leadership crisis.
Following Mwangaza’s ouster, M’Ethingia was sworn in as the new Governor. Mutuma had previously served as Meru County Assembly Speaker.
Source: capitalfm
