Is DP William Ruto joining referendum bandwagon?

Deputy President William Ruto in London on February 8, 2019. [Photo, Courtesy]
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Fast forward to Chatham House, where the Hustler now opines that there could be misgivings well-founded and deserving of remedial constitutional amendments. When the debate first hit the headlines, analysts thought it was a well-hatched deal to elbow out Ruto, claims he denies. In the past, the DP said law changes are a dream, adding that Kenyans will not create seats for those who ought to “retire from politics honourably". Ruto said the fact that there has been tremendous successes under the constitution does not mean any misgivings around some aspects of its architecture are unjustified. ‘Headless…dysfunctional Opposition’SEE ALSO :Housing fund could tip the balance for low income earners
He especially raised issue with the way the Opposition was formulated. “The current formulation undermines executive accountability and saddled our democracy with a headless, incoherent and dysfunctional opposition,” Ruto said. He adds that the Constitution neither recognises nor creates the function of an official opposition. According to Ruto, law changes will be key in ensuring the leader of a party garnering the second highest votes has a formal constitutional role. “Elections in Kenya are close-run contest. Often enough, the winner and runner-up achieve more than five million votes. The winner ascends to a formally constituted leadership role while the runner-up becomes a virtual stranger in leadership.”SEE ALSO :Bill through as MPs seek increased pay
Previous suggestions on law changes stated that the National Executive should be expanded to accommodate a prime minister as well as two deputies to address the winner-takes-all challenge. But Ruto says such channel will not create a functional Opposition, and neither will it ensure that such positions are not taken by the winning party. He outlines six recommendations here on how best to tackle law changes. But he also adds that Kenyans may not have reached a moment when “we may say that we have sufficiently tested the full scope of the dispensation, or do we still need time?” “That is a decision that Kenyans will have to make,” Ruto adds.SEE ALSO :Rosemary Odinga appears in public after two years