After the presentation of the much anticipated Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report to President Uhuru Kenyatta on November 26 and to members of the public at Bomas of Kenya on November 27, doubts, rather questions of the political fate of some politicians was thrown into question.
The report as seen by Kenyans.co.ke proposes the creation of the prime minister position. Interestingly, the document recommends the PM be appointed from elected MPs.
"Establishing the position of prime minister in the same model as used by Tanzania. He shall be appointed by the president from the party or coalition of parties that are a majority in the National Assembly," the report states.
"And if no party has a majority, the person who appears to have the support of a majority of the members of the National Assembly. He must be confirmed by the National Assembly. He may be fired by either the president through a decree or by the National Assembly through a vote of no confidence," the report adds.
This proposition by the BBI report, therefore, raised questions of what would happen if President Uhuru and ODM leader Raila Odinga fancied the role of PM.
On November 15, President Uhuru addressed Mt Kenya leaders at Sagana State Lodge, where he revealed that he would not mind the role of a prime minister, as reported by Citizen Digital on November 16.
An interpretation of the report, aided by former Kakamega Senator, Boni Khalwale who spoke to Kenyans.co.ke, established that President Uhuru would have to be elected as an MP to stand a chance of being appointed as PM.
"What I understand is that the PM must be an elected Member of Parliament," Khalwale stated.
Would it be from Gatundu South? And if so, what would happen to the incumbent, Moses Kuria? And if Raila decided to run, would it be from Kibra or Lang'ata? If Kibra, what next for Bernard 'Imran' Okoth?
In such an occurrence, President Uhuru would go up against Kuria, whom he handpicked for the seat in 2013. Raila would go up against Imran, whom the ODM Party rigorously campaigned for in Kibra.
However, Khalwale reiterated that in his interpretation, the prime minister was junior, comparing his role to National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale's.
"The perception it creates is as if the PM is junior to the president, the deputy president, so you cannot lower yourself to the role of a PM. Uhuru should just go home." Khalwale remarked.
