By Gerald Mukembu
North Imenti MP Rahim Dawood has laughed off a plot by a section of residents to recall him as a pipe dream.
Rahim accused his political rivals of the ones behind what he called a political witch-hunt.
He said that Lawyer Kiogora Mugambi who initiated the recall bid had tried the same plot in 2014 but miserably failed.
Dawood wondered why the DCP candidate is sponsoring the signature collection.
“So is it DCP which is sponsoring it and by extension some who I beat in the last elections. The conditions for recall are not a walk in the park and are very stringent. I invite them to go the whole hog,” Rahim said.
The residents have started collecting signatures to recall the legislator.
Lawyer Mugambi who has initiated the signature collection drive, claiming that the MP has totally failed to deliver tangible development projects.
He added that amongst all the constituencies of Meru County, North Imenti has the highest allocation of tarmac roads.
He described those behind the scheme as perennial losers and guns for hire.
“Amongst all the constituencies of Meru County, North Imenti has the highest allocation of roads. On the other developments they have to be specific. It’s a witch-hunt by my opponents who are perennial losers. I don’t do the development personally, so what development are they talking about. They have to define what is the role of the MP as per the constitution. But I wish them the best. The conditions for recall are not a walk in the park and are very stringent,” he said.
Dawood said voting for Finance Bill 2024 is not one of the thresholds to recall an MP as the Chapter 6 of the constitution neither is Riggy G’s impeachment.
“What development are they talking about? Roads are done in most North Imenti, or is it to their own homes? Do they know there are National Government and County Government roads ? Different classes of roads,” he said.
Mugambi has already declared his interest to run for North Imenti parliamentary seat in 2027.
According to Mugambi, article 97 and 98 of the 2010 Constitution gives powers to electorates to recall their MP after a period of two years.
“I have traversed several places in North Imenti and the electorate’s clarion call is to remove their MP from the office. He has violated the constitution and this is the reason they are recalling him. We will collect a third of the votes and present them to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for verification and approval,” Mugambi said when presenting the document to residents in Meru town.
He says electorates are aggrieved by the MP due to his failure to exercise his oversight role by not condemning or raising questions in parliament with regard to ongoing abductions and killings around the Country and North Imenti in specific.
They also accuse Rahim of voting for the Finance Bill 2024 against the wishes of many constituents as well as failure to lobby for budgetary allocations to complete stalled national government projects especially roads.
They also state the MP irregularly participated in voting for the impeachment of the second deputy President of the republic of Kenya Rigathi Gachagua.
Rahim is serving his third consecutive term as North Imenti MP and he is a staunch supporter of President William Ruto and his Deputy Kithure Kindiki.
