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The reconstituted Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has dismissed circulating claims that it has received 60 petitions seeking the recall of Members of Parliament.
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Social media had been flooded with assertions that citizens had submitted dozens of petitions against MPs accused of poor performance and failing to represent public interests.
However, on July 19, IEBC chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon clarified that the commission has so far only received four recall petitions.
Speaking during a press briefing in Mombasa, Ethekon said the commission will review each of the four petitions individually based on its legal merit.
“As of now, we’ve received approximately four petitions. We’ll assess them when we return to the office,” he said.
Ethekon emphasized that the right to recall elected leaders is constitutionally protected, and the IEBC remains committed to following due process.
“It’s a constitutional right for any Kenyan to initiate a recall, and as a commission, we are ready to fulfill our mandate within the confines of the law,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the IEBC is in the process of updating the voter register in preparation for upcoming by-elections.
There are currently 23 vacant seats to be filled, including one Senate seat, six parliamentary positions, and 16 ward representative slots.
Ethekon assured Kenyans that the commission will handle all petitions and by-election preparations in strict adherence to legal and constitutional guidelines.
“We will receive the petitions, evaluate them, and respond appropriately,” he added.
The recall process in Kenya is governed by Article 104 of the Constitution and the Elections Act, 2011. It allows voters to recall MPs, senators, or MCAs after they have served at least two years, but not within the final 12 months before the next general election.
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Grounds for recall include violation of leadership and integrity provisions, abuse of public office, or conviction of an electoral offence.
