BBI's Prime Minister's Powers and Salary

The Building Bridges Initiative was finally handed over to President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House, Nairobi, on Wednesday, November 27, 2019. In the report, the president will share power with a prime minister.

However, the head of state would still be powerful and would even fire the prime minister. 

In the BBI report, the president remains the Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief, while the PM will draw his powers from parliament and supervises the execution of government duties.

The Prime Minister shall be from the party that would have elected a majority of Members in the National Assembly. He/she would be nominated by the president and approved by the parliament.

" Within a set number of days following the summoning of Parliament after an election, the President shall appoint as Prime Minister, an elected Member of the National Assembly from a political party having a majority of Members in the National Assembly or, if no political party has a majority, one who appears to have the support of a majority of MPs. 

The nominee shall not assume office until his or her nomination is first confirmed by a resolution of the National Assembly supported by a majority vote of the members. The nominee for Prime Minister shall not assume office until his or her appointment is first confirmed by a resolution of the National Assembly supported by an absolute majority vote of MPs," the task force recommended. 

If nominee would not be confirmed, the head of state shall have another set of days to make another appointment. 

The PM shall control, supervise and execute day-to-day functions and affairs of the government. He shall also lead Government Business in the National Assembly. He/She will chair Cabinet sub-committees. However, he will continue to earn a salary as an MP with no additional salary for the prime ministerial role. 

He/She may be dismissed by the President or through a vote of no confidence in the National Assembly that wins an absolute majority. 

The committee further proposed the two limit term for a president to be retained and the DP will be the running mate. The head of state would not dismiss his/her deputy.

The president shall be elected by the Kenyans and would be required to have won 50% + 1 of the presidential votes and at least 25% of the votes in each of more than half the counties. 

The loser of the presidential election (runner-up) was proposed to become an ex-officio Member of Parliament and the Leader of the Official Opposition if his or her party is not represented in the Government. 

The chief opposition leader shall be given the power to create his/her own shadow cabinet to challenge and put the government under check and balance in parliament. 

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