DP William Ruto and ODM Clash Over Constitutional Changes

There is a looming showdown between Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and Deputy President William Ruto over calls to amend the constitution in order to expand the executive.

ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna maintained that the push for changes was unstoppable while the DP termed the campaign as premature and unnecessary.

Speaking in Nakuru on Sunday, DP Ruto stated it was unfair to put Kenyans in campaign mood just a few months after the lengthy electioneering period the country had just come out of.

“Having given us an opportunity to serve you, I want you to know that our objective is to complete the development projects that we promised you and will have no time to engage in politics of power-sharing,” Ruto stated.

[caption caption="Deputy President William Ruto "][/caption]

"Talking about amending the constitution right now in order to create other political positions is to lack respect for the electorate,” he remarked.

Meanwhile, Sifuna described those against the law changes as selfish individuals without the interest of Kenyans at heart.

He further noted that the handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM Party leader Raila Odinga had given the much-needed dialogue on electoral injustices a chance that the party was prepared to exploit.

DP Ruto has been critical of amending the Constitution despite leading the camp that campaigned against it in 2010 on the basis that it contained laws that needed to be changed.

Seven years after the Constitution was promulgated, Tiaty MP Kassait Kamket has drafted a Bill that seeks to change the power structure from presidential to parliamentary.

[caption caption="ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna"][/caption]

Kamket proposed that a Prime Minister be an elected member of the National Assembly with the additional role of leader of government business, and also seeks the scrapping of the Office of Deputy President.