Senate Committee Rejects Proposal to Extend Leaders’ Term Limits
The Standing Committee on Justice, Legal Affairs, and Human Rights has advised the Senate against passing a bill that proposes extending the terms of the President and other elected leaders.
Here’s a breakdown of what the committee recommends and why this proposal faced strong opposition.
Key Issues in the Proposed Bill
- Sponsor: The bill was introduced by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei.
- Proposed Changes:
- Extending the term of the President, Members of Parliament, Governors, and County Assembly Members from 5 years to 7 years.
- Creating a new position for a Prime Minister.
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Public and Stakeholder Opposition
The Committee noted that public feedback on the proposal was overwhelmingly negative. Both written and oral submissions from the public opposed these changes. Some main concerns included:
- Extended Terms: Many felt that increasing the term length was unnecessary and excessive.
- Prime Minister Role: Introducing a Prime Minister role was viewed as complicating the existing system.
Committee Recommendations
To ensure better processes for such proposals in the future, the Committee, chaired by Senator Hillary Wakili of Bomet, made several recommendations:
- Stricter Screening Process: Bills proposing constitutional changes should have a clear level of initial support from both the public and members of Parliament before being introduced.
- Rules Review: The Senate’s Procedure and Rules Committee should review and update the process for handling legislative proposals that amend the Constitution.
- Support Signatures: Constitutional amendment proposals should require the backing of at least 15 Senators (unless introduced by the Majority or Minority Party) before being tabled.
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Public Response to the Proposal
Recently, a public hearing was held at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) to gather Kenyans’ views on the proposed extension. Key points include:
- High Turnout: Hundreds attended, with the majority opposing the extension plan.
- Overwhelming Submissions: The Senate’s email system received over 240,000 submissions, showing a high level of public interest and opposition.
Final Take
The proposal to extend the term limit has generated significant public outcry, with most Kenyans considering the extension unnecessary and unreasonable.
The committee has recommended careful future handling of constitutional amendments to avoid similar conflicts with public opinion.
