IEBC confirms receipt of 4 petitions to recall MPs
By William Muthama, July 19, 2025The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has confirmed receiving four petitions seeking the recall of Members of Parliament from office.
Speaking during a press briefing in Mombasa on Saturday, July 19, 2025, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon said the Commission is reviewing the petitions and will assess them based on the weight and merit of the issues raised.
“We currently have roughly four petitions. We will look at them once we go back to the office,” Ethekon said.
He emphasised that the right to recall is constitutionally guaranteed, and the IEBC would act according to its legal mandate.
“It’s the right of every Kenyan to exercise that right of recall under the Constitution. As IEBC, we will be there to do that which the law allows us.”
He further assured the public that all recall attempts will follow proper legal and constitutional procedures. “We will receive those petitions, we will examine them, and we will, of course, respond accordingly.”
The IEBC has also filed an application at the Supreme Court, seeking direction on resuming the long-delayed boundary review process.
The exercise, a constitutional requirement, has stalled for years due to the absence of a fully constituted Commission.
Ethekon also announced that the Commission has begun preparations to update the voter register ahead of 23 pending by-elections across the country.
“This is a priority matter. As you have noticed, two years plus have already passed. Constituencies like Banisa in Northeastern have gone almost three years without an MP,” he noted.
The by-elections include one Senate seat, six parliamentary seats, and 16 MCA positions. Among the most anticipated is Kasipul Constituency, where MP Charles Were was assassinated on May 1, 2025.
Recall process
The recall process is guided by Article 104 of the Constitution and the Elections Act, 2011. Kenyans can recall MPs, Senators, or MCAs only between two years after an election and not within 12 months to the next.
Grounds include violation of leadership standards, misuse of public resources, or conviction for electoral offences.