A Member of Parliament launched an ambitious bid to reduce the number of Cabinet slots from the current 22 to 14.
The lawmaker added that in the proposed amendment, the CSs will be picked by the National Assembly.
West Mugirango MP Vincent Kemosi wrote to the Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi notifying him of his intention to sponsor a Constitutional amendment Bill.
The legislator sought to amend Article 152(1) which states that Cabinet Secretaries will not be fewer than 14 and not more than 22, and Article 152 (3), which states that a Cabinet Secretary shall not be a Member of Parliament.
"The objective of the Bill is to reduce the bloated wage bill and ensure MPs have an opportunity to ask Cabinet ministers in the House questions and issues affecting their constituencies," Kemosi's letter read in part.
"The name Cabinet secretaries be changed to Cabinet ministers, and where all Articles of the Constitution where there is a mention of Cabinet Secretary or secretaries, the same be amended to refer to Cabinet minister. Create a provision of a hybrid system of governance, where MPs will be appointed ministers," he added.
If the proposed changes succeed, the current system of government will change from purely presidential to hybrid, which was the case before the 2010 Constitution.
A hybrid system is a mix of presidential and parliamentary systems, in which the electorate directly elects a President as the head of government and MPs as lawmakers, from whom ministers are appointed.
This Bill by Kemosi is similar to one proposed by Tiaty MP William Kamket, which was proposing creation of the office of the Prime Minister who runs the government and a ceremonial President.
The Bill also proposed the reintroduction of the leader of the Opposition and that the cabinet secretaries should also originate from Parliament.
