The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has confirmed receiving four formal applications seeking to recall sitting Members of Parliament, amid growing public dissatisfaction over how some lawmakers have handled key national issues.
Speaking in Mombasa on Friday, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon said the commission will review the recall requests once they return to the office, adding that the petitions will be handled strictly within the confines of the law.
“Kenyans are actively discussing the subject of recalls. So far, we’ve received about four applications. We will look at them in detail and follow what the law says,” said Ethekon.
He noted that while the Constitution grants citizens the right to initiate the recall of an elected leader, the commission would only act on complaints that meet the legal threshold.
“It is the right of every Kenyan to exercise that provision, but the IEBC will only move forward where the reasons provided are legitimate under the Constitution,” he added.
The announcement comes days after residents of North Imenti Constituency launched a petition to recall their MP, Rahim Dawood.
The move was in response to anger over his vote to approve the controversial 2024 Finance Bill and supporting the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua both of which elicited anger from his supporters.
The petitioners also accused the MP of failing to articulate their voices in Parliament and failing to take precedence in key development initiatives in Meru, including those that had been stalled because of failure to follow up on the budget.
Elsewhere, Ethekon said the commission is preparing to conduct several pending by-elections across the country. He said the IEBC would work closely with Parliament and political parties to ensure these elections are held without further delays.
“This is our priority now,” he said, without giving specific timelines.
The recall clause under Article 104 of the Constitution allows voters to remove their MP from office before the end of their term, but the process involves strict conditions — including collecting signatures from a significant portion of registered voters in the constituency.
