The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has backed calls for a referendum to be held even as Kenyans await the details of an agreement between President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga aimed at fostering true national unity.
ODM Chairman John Mbadi outlined issues that lawmakers allied to the party want the referendum to deliver.
The legislators want the position of Prime Minister re-introduced and Members of Parliament to serve one 10-year term.
Mbadi declared that while they were in favor of bringing back the PM's post, they were opposed to concentrating executive powers with the Prime Minister who will be selected by the largest parliamentary party.
He proposed that a ceremonial President elected by the people retain the key role of Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.
[caption caption="President Uhuru Kenyatta with NASA leader Raila Odinga at Harambee House on March 9"]
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"We want it harmonised in such a way that the President is not only ceremonial but also retains the role of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
"ODM was one of the first to propose such a parliamentary system of democracy akin to the United Kingdom, but later dropped it. We may have to revisit it," he told The Standard.
Mbadi further stated that some of their legislators wanted the referendum to allow MPs to serve a single term of 10 years.
He explained that the current 5-year term was to blame for abandoned and incomplete projects as newly-elected MPs often failed to carry on with their predecessor's plans.
"This is one of the reasons some of us propose that we come up with a new electoral system, where the legislators serve for one term of 10 years," he stated.
[caption caption="NASA Leader Raila Odinga"]
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