Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris has publicly declared that she will not seek re-election in 2027 and has endorsed nominated Senator Karen Nyamu to succeed her.
Passaris made the announcement while speaking at an event on Wednesday, November 19, explaining why she intends to exit the affirmative action seat after completing two terms.
"Karen is not bold enough so I'm going to do this for her. I said I was not going to run for Woman Rep again and the reason why I'm not going to run again in 2027 is because it is an affirmative seat if I have done it for two terms I need to look for something else to do," she said.
Passaris then turned her focus to Nyamu, urging her to declare her intentions with confidence and confirming her support for her bid.
"Karen is one of the contenders for Woman Rep; don't come here and say, 'I'm thinking', you are running. I wish you all the best," she added.
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Elsewhere, this comes months after Passaris defended her decision to support and work with President William Ruto.
In a statement on Tuesday, July 29, Passaris stated that her leadership is guided by development and not personal vendettas.
The MP further called out politicians eyeing her seat, urging them to sell their agenda instead of tearing down her work.
"I will not inherit the burden of enmity or be forced into battles that will not deliver for my people what they need most. I stand firmly with President William Ruto because leadership is about progress, not personal grudges.
"Those who want my seat must show what they can offer, not attempt to destroy what I’ve built. True leaders rise by lifting others, not by pulling them down," she stated.
Notably, weeks prior to this, Passaris was forced to address claims that she was doing Ruto’s bidding through her proposed Public Order (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
Speaking on Friday, July 4, she noted that she came up with the bill in October 2024, after the Finance Bill protesters spilled into the Parliament building, setting a section on fire.
Passaris further insisted that President William Ruto became aware of the Bill through online platforms, as most people did.
"William Samoei Ruto, when I brought this bill, which is a private member’s bill, he didn’t even know. He read about it online himself.
"I started that bill on October 18, 2024. That’s after Gen Z stormed Parliament. They broke things, huh? People's lives were threatened. Some people died and others lost their lives," she stated.
Days later, Passaris announced a pause on the pre-publication bill following rising public concern.
In a statement on Monday, July 7, she said the move is in response to calls from the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) and other groups who have voiced strong objections to the bill.
"I have decided to pause the pre-publication process of the Public Order (Amendment) Bill 2025 to allow for national dialogue and wide public engagement. This is an invitation to co-create legislation that safeguards constitutional freedoms while ensuring public order," Passaris said.
