A group of four young Kenyans has formally filed a petition to recall Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris, setting in motion a potentially unprecedented political process in the country.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) confirmed receipt of the petition on Monday, July 28, and is now reviewing the submission to determine if it meets the legal threshold required for a recall to proceed.
The petition, filed by Shakira Wafula, Mavin Mabonga, Dominic Omondi, and Sichei Soet, accuses Passaris of violating several constitutional provisions, including Articles 10, 35, 37, 73, 75, 95, and 232, as well as Chapter 6, which outlines leadership and integrity standards.
Among the eight detailed allegations, the petitioners claim Passaris undermined peaceful protest and public participation, aligned herself with executive overreach, failed to advocate for Nairobi women during instances of police brutality, spread disinformation, and declined to account for public funds.
Law on Recalling Women Rep
According to Kenyan law, an elected Women Representative can be recalled after serving for at least two years and before the last year of their term.
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If the IEBC finds the petition valid, the petitioners must gather at least 750,000 verified signatures, representing 30% of Nairobi’s 2.5 million registered voters.
Additionally, they must secure 15% of signatures from at least half of the city’s wards.
Should the petition meet all conditions, IEBC would be required to notify the Speaker of the National Assembly, who must then organize a recall election within 90 days.
However, the process also mandates that at least 50% of all registered voters participate in the vote, with a majority supporting the recall for it to be successful.
Push to Recall Esther Passaris
To date, no Kenyan Women Representative has ever been successfully recalled, making this a politically endeavor. Yet, the petitioners are undeterred.
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“I’m actually very confident that once we start collecting signatures, it’s possible to get more than 1 million,” said Wafula.
While the group seeks to challenge Passaris’ tenure, they say their broader goal is to inspire civic engagement and remind Kenyans of their democratic power.
“This is not just about Esther Passaris,” said Mabonga. “This is a wake-up call for the Kenyan citizen to realize the power they have… If the leaders they elected aren’t representing their interests, then the best process before the next election is to initiate a recall.”
Whether or not the recall succeeds, the effort signals a growing appetite for political accountability and perhaps, the end of passive citizenship in Kenya.
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