A formal petition has been filed seeking to recall Nairobi Woman Rep Esther Passaris.
A group of Nairobi residents has launched a petition aimed at recalling Woman Representative Esther Muthoni Passaris from office. The petition, officially delivered to the IEBC by activist Shakira Wafula on Monday, points to alleged abuse of office, constitutional violations, and lack of integrity in fulfilling her representative duties.
The document, already acknowledged by the IEBC, accuses Passaris of ignoring her responsibilities and failing to uphold the values expected from someone in her position.
“She has acted in ways that insult the Constitution, disrespected voters, and misused the trust placed in her,” the petition partly reads.
The move is anchored in Article 104 of the Constitution and Section 45 of the Elections Act. These provisions allow citizens to recall any non-performing Member of Parliament if there’s enough proof of incompetence or violation of the Constitution.
According to the petition:
“We, the voters of Nairobi County, request the immediate recall of Hon. Esther Muthoni Passaris for failing to serve us as required by law.”
If successful, this petition could trigger a full-blown recall process. Here’s a look at the steps involved: A registered voter presents a written petition to the IEBC. To proceed, one-third of the registered voters from across various wards in Nairobi must sign in support. IEBC then verifies all signatures within 30 days. Once verified, IEBC informs the Speaker within 15 days. A recall vote is then held within 90 days to determine if the MP should go. If most voters support the recall, the seat falls vacant, and a by-election follows.
Interestingly, the ousted MP is still allowed to run again.
Soon after news of the petition went public, a wave of online support followed. Many Nairobians and Gen Z activists flooded social platforms, urging others to sign the petition. This has revived calls from the June 2024 protests that pushed for political reform and youth accountability in leadership.
This isn’t an isolated case. IEBC Chair Erastus Ethekon confirmed that at least four MPs, including North Imenti’s Rahim Dawood, are facing similar recall petitions. Dawood, now in his third term, has been accused of poor performance and losing touch with his constituents.
Related: Meru residents eye recall of MP Rahim Dawood – Nation Africa
All eyes now turn to IEBC. If the commission confirms the petition meets the threshold, the signature-collection phase will kick off. So far, Passaris, who was elected under the ODM party, has not addressed the claims or responded to the growing pressure.
