A proposal has been tabled by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei to increase the presidential term to seven years, up from the current five years.
Senator Cherargei’s radical proposal to extend presidential term limit to 7 years
Should Cherargei’s proposal sail through, an elected president will have a maximum of two terms of seven years each, capping it at a maximum 14 years in power.
Senator Samson Cherargei
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The lawmaker tabled the proposal to the National Dialogue Committee (NDC) chaired by Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwa and Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka
According to Cherargei, five years is not sufficient time for a government to deliver on its manifesto, including the time it takes to set up formidable team shortly after a new government comes into place.
NDC will interrogate the submissions before making final recommendations.
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Should Chergei’s proposal see the light of day, an elected president will have a maximum of two terms of seven years each, capping it at a maximum 14 years in power.
For the Senator to have his way, a referendum would have to be held to alter the structure of the current constitution.
Chapter 9 of the Constitution under Article 142 reads: “The President shall hold office for a term beginning on the date on which the President was sworn in and ending when the person next elected President in accordance with Article 136 (2) (a) is sworn in.”
Samson Cherargei
Pulse Live Kenya
Another submission made by the lawmaker is the establishment of the Office of the Prime Minister.
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The holder of the position will not only sit in parliament, but will also be the official spokesman of government in the house according to Cherargei’s proposal.
The NDC has received submissions from various teams, including IEBC which proposed to have the presidential election conducted separately from other elective positions.
“We are proposing that since the presidential election is the only contested we have it conducted on its separate day,” IEBC CEO Marjan Marjan told the committee jointly led by Ichung'wa and Musyoka.
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