Just a day after publicly declaring plans to amend the Constitution to introduce the seat of Prime Minister, outspoken United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Senator Samson Cherargei has insisted that the country must also introduce the office of the official opposition leader.
The Opposition Leader will have deputies, further adding to the already bloated budget. According to the Nandi County Senator, the two sides of the Parliament will amend a report between Kenya Kwanza and Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition to facilitate the move.
The National Dialogue Committee (NADCO), which was established after the post-election violence that followed the 2022 polls, proposed, among other things, the creation of the positions of Prime Minister and Leader of the Official Opposition to enhance governance and representation.
“In the NADCO report, we shall amend the Constitution of 2010. Apart from the creation of the office of the Prime Minister, we shall also create the office of the Official Opposition Leader to ensure election losers get a chance to critique the government of the day constructively,” he said in a statement on his X platform on Tuesday.
He added, “This shall ensure in Kenya we don't have sore losers or bitter losers.” According to Cherargei, the office of the Opposition leader shall be funded by taxpayers to “ensure dignity, integrity, and accountability.”
The Opposition Leader is to sit in Parliament and his deputies. “It will also promote democracy in our country,” Cheragey asserted.
On Monday, Cherargei began the campaign to make the changes in a bid to accommodate the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party Leader Raila Odinga following his loss in Addis Ababa on Saturday.
Odinga, who sought to become Africa’s top leader, lost to Djibouti’s Mahmoud Youssouf, who is now the African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson.
"We must now fully implement the NADCO Report by amending the Constitution of 2010 to create the office of the Prime Minister (PM) and allowing Rt. Hon. Baba Raila Odinga to serve Kenyans in that capacity," Cherargei stated on Monday.
"We cannot allow such brilliant leadership and experience to go to waste the way the African Union did it. This is the only way we can appreciate and reward him for his fight for the rule of law and democracy in Kenya."
However, the proposals that have been achieved through amendments to the Constitution are yet to make their way to either the National Assembly or the Senate.
If Kenya enacts the amendments, it will add more high earners to the political structure. The last time Odinga was the Prime Minister, his remuneration was similar to that of a Member of Parliament and allowances as a Cabinet Minister.
It is unclear whether the same will be the case since there were disputes over his salary. He, however, could be placed on the same level as the Prime Cabinet Secretary, whose remuneration, as of July 2024, is a gross monthly salary of Ksh 990,000, comprising a basic salary of Ksh594,000, a house allowance of Ksh200,000, and a salary market adjustment of Ksh196,000.
Additionally, the Prime Cabinet Secretary receives a special responsibility allowance of Ksh150,000 per month, bringing the total monthly compensation to Ksh1,140,000. This does not include the expenses that come with running his office.
