Western leaders demand key role in law redraft

Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa. [File, Standard]

Members of Parliament form western Kenya have opposed the creation of a prime minister's post during review of the Constitution.

The six MPs also said the Building Bridges initiative team should not play any role in the referendum talks.

Instead, Justus Murunga (Matungu), Didmus Barasa (Kimilili), Tindi Mwale (Butere), Titus Khamala (Lurambi), Mwambu Mabonga (Bumula) and Ayub Savula (Lugari) yesterday said the process of changing the supreme law should be spearheaded by lawmakers.

The Building Bridges task-force is a 14-member team formed by President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition leader Raila Odinga and mandated to make proposals that build lasting unity.

The MPs also proposed the scrapping of the Senate and appointment of ministers from among elected lawmakers.

“What we want is to see the wage bill of the country go down, and it must start from the top,” said Mr Murunga.

The MPs said they would also propose the reduction of members of county assemblies to only four per constituency and, subsequently, those with at least a diploma to be picked by governors as county executive committee members.

“The position of CECs should be done away with and MCAs appointed. These are the things we will be looking at and once the Bill is ready and passed by Parliament, it will go to the county assemblies,” said Mr Savula.

Savula claimed the constitutional review process had been hijacked by activists.