Eight months after President William Ruto emphatically reiterated his stance against extending the 10-year presidential term limit in order to prolong his tenure, the conversation has resurfaced, this time through a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Senator.
Laikipia Senator John Kinyua has advocated for the elimination of term limits for both the presidential and gubernatorial positions. He contends that such a move would empower leaders at these two tiers of government to effectively fulfill their commitments to Kenyans.
The UDA legislator made these assertions on Tuesday, August 15, during the Devolution Conference 2023 happening in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County.
Speaking to journalists, he highlighted that while a five-year term might be appropriate for other leaders, presidents and governors should ideally serve a ten-year term.
“In terms of tangible performance or tangible development from a president and governor, it is a ten year term,” the Laikipia Senator remarked.
He contended that a five-year term doesn't provide a president with a sufficient time to fully execute the agendas outlined in their manifestos.
He commented that both presidents and governors often find themselves diverting from their core duty of serving the public, compelled to focus on re-election campaigns instead of wholeheartedly dedicating their efforts to the betterment of the electorate.
Nonetheless, the UDA legislator pointed out that for the other elective positions, a five-year term is appropriate since it allows Kenyans to critically evaluate the performance of their leaders.
Kinyua emphasised that the drafters of the constitution didn't err by stipulating a five-year term for leaders. However, he advocated for an amendment specifically targeting the presidential and gubernatorial terms.
Article 142 of the Kenyan 2010 Constitution indicates that: (1) The President shall hold office for a term beginning on the date on which the President was sworn in, and ending when the person next elected President in accordance with Article 136 (2) (a) is sworn in.
The President, however is prohibited from holding office for more than two five-year terms.
Following the development, it remains to be seen whether President Ruto will distance himself from the conversation once again and how the opposition will respond.
