Mathira Residents Launch Signature Drive to Recall MP Eric Wamumbi.

A wave of political discontent has swept through Mathira Constituency as a group of residents initiated a campaign to recall their Member of Parliament, Eric Wamumbi. Led by Mathira voter Samuel Ngari, the residents cite Wamumbi’s failure to advocate for their interests and decisions that, according to them, betray the community’s trust.

The signature drive, which began on Wednesday afternoon, has a bold target: gathering 31,000 signatures from the 104,000 registered voters in Mathira, meeting the constitutional requirement of 30% for initiating a recall process. Ngari and his supporters are determined to hold Wamumbi accountable, with their sights set on leveraging the upcoming December holiday to rally community members returning home to the village.

Mathira Residents Launch Signature Drive to Recall MP Eric Wamumbi.

Residents expressed frustration over Wamumbi’s vote in favor of a recent motion against former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. Samuel Ngari was instrumental in gathering residents who were equally disillusioned by Wamumbi’s stance. Community members like Agnes Kirigo voiced their anger, saying, "We are hurt because he chose not to stand with our Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. Even if they impeached him there, he will not be removed from our hearts."

Duncan Githui, another resident, shared the sentiment, calling Wamumbi a "traitor" and adding, "Let him buy his own plane and fly like he wants. Or let him go to Murang’a where he got his wife."

Beyond this political dispute, Ngari alleges deeper issues of misconduct, including claims of abuse of office. These allegations range from misappropriating Constituency Development Fund (CDF) resources to bribing residents during public consultations regarding Gachagua’s impeachment. Ngari also accuses Wamumbi of dismissing constituency office employees without due process, fueling anger among the locals who feel their concerns have gone unheard.

Despite a lack of an operational Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) amid ongoing court cases, Ngari remains undeterred. “Even if there’s no IEBC now, there’s a case in court, and next year, the court will decide. We want this case resolved so that when a new commission comes, the first person to be recalled is Wamumbi,” he asserted.

Another vocal critic, Ann Muringo, criticized the MP’s perceived lack of tangible contributions. "He hasn’t done anything for us. All he does is use his mouth to insult, alongside Betty Maina,” she lamented.

For his part, Wamumbi dismissed the recall attempt as a retaliatory measure from Gachagua’s supporters. On Facebook, he suggested that these efforts were merely an extension of political battles associated with the former Deputy President.

Ngari’s supporters, however, show no signs of backing down. "We can’t wait until 2027 because while we wait, Wamumbi continues to eat our money and earn a salary without doing any work for us. Even if this process doesn’t go through, we’ll be back to start a new one," he vowed.

With the December holiday season approaching, the efforts to recall Wamumbi appear set to intensify, raising questions about the future of Mathira’s leadership and the broader issues of political accountability across Kenya.