Citizens File Petition to Recall Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris
A petition to recall Nairobi County Woman Representative Hon. Esther Muthoni Passaris has been filed by a group of concerned citizens, citing alleged misconduct and failure to uphold her constitutional duties. The petition, submitted under Article 104 of the Kenyan Constitution and Section 45 of the Elections Act, calls for the immediate removal of Passaris from office.
According to the petition, the citizens accuse Hon. Passaris of engaging in conduct unbecoming of a State Officer. They claim she has undermined constitutional principles, disrespected the electorate, and failed to carry out her representative and oversight roles with the expected levels of integrity, impartiality, and accountability.
The move has sparked public interest and reactions on social media, with many Nairobi residents urged to support the recall process by submitting their signatures to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
The IEBC, which plays a central role in overseeing recall petitions, is responsible for receiving, verifying, and potentially conducting by-elections should the petition meet the legal threshold. For a recall to proceed, at least one-third of registered voters from the constituency must support the petition by signing it, with the signatories spread across different parts of the county to ensure wide representation.
This petition is one among several received by the IEBC. Chairperson Erastus Ethekon recently revealed that the Commission has received at least four petitions to recall Members of Parliament, although he did not disclose the names of those targeted.
In a related development, residents of North Imenti have also filed a petition to recall their MP, Rahim Dawood, currently serving his third consecutive term. The petitioners have cited four specific reasons for seeking his removal.
These recent petitions come in the wake of increased public scrutiny of MPs, following the reconstitution and swearing-in of the IEBC. The June 2024 protests reignited national discourse around accountability for elected leaders, with citizens now leveraging the reconstituted electoral body to push for better representation.
As the IEBC reviews the submissions, the fate of the lawmakers in question, including Hon. Esther Passaris, now hangs in the balance, pending verification and potential by-elections.
