The political fallout from the impeachment vote of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua continues to intensify in the Mt. Kenya region, with residents of Mathira, Gachagua’s home constituency, launching a petition to recall their Member of Parliament, Eric Wamumbi.
The recall campaign began in earnest at the Karatina open-air market, where voters gathered with their national identity cards to sign petitions demanding Wamumbi’s removal from office.
The residents expressed their deep dissatisfaction with the MP’s role in voting for Gachagua’s impeachment, which they strongly opposed.
“As residents, we have resolved to start collecting signatures to recall Wamumbi because he has not initiated any meaningful development and betrayed our son, Gachagua, by leading the push for his impeachment,” said Peter Mwangi, a local resident. “He is unwanted in this constituency.”
Although the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is not yet fully reconstituted following the resignations and retirements of some commissioners, Mwangi emphasized that the petitioners were laying the groundwork for the recall process.
“We know we cannot recall him now, but once the commission is in place, we will move quickly,” he added.
The recall process requires that signatures be collected from one-third of the electorate in Mathira, which has over 100,000 registered voters.
This recall effort follows a wave of public discontent in Nyeri County, with Nyeri Town MP Duncan Maina also facing backlash for his support of Gachagua’s impeachment.
Recently, Maina was chased out of the Lower Bus Park by angry matatu operators, who labeled him a “traitor” for backing the move against Gachagua.
The growing tension within the region highlights the deep divisions among political leaders and residents, especially over the impeachment vote, and signals that the political fallout from the incident will continue to shape the region’s future.
