Kalonzo: Kenya Kwanza plans to return term limit Bill

Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka (right) condoles with former Senator Lenny Kivuti (centre) and his wife Hildah Kanini during the requiem mass for their son the late Eric Kivuti on January 2, 2025 at All Saints Cathedral, Nairobi. [Kanyiri Wahito Standard] Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka now claims there is a plan by the Kenya Kwanza administration to reintroduce the Bill on the extension of presidential term limit. The former vice president indicated that the administration was planning to bring the Bill up when Parliament resumes in February. Kalonzo, however, warned Kenyans had made it very clear during the public participation process of a Bill sponsored by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei that they will not accept to have the terms of the President, governors, senators, Members of National Assembly and Members of County Assembly extended. Speaking to journalists after attending a requiem mass for Eric Mutugi, the son of former Embu Senator Lenny Kivuti, at All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi, Thursday, Kalonzo wondered why the government was keen on having this Bill reintroduced yet Kenyans were against extending term limits. "99 per cent of Kenyans are against the extension of term limits. We have learnt of a plot to reintroduce the Bill after the one sponsored by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei was overwhelmingly rejected," said Kalonzo. In a report tabled before the Senate plenary in November last year, Senate Justice Legal Affairs and Human Rights Committee Chairman Hillary Sigei recommended to the House not to pass the Bill since 99 per cent of Kenyans who gave their views rejected it. Sigei told the Senate that, at the close of the public participation period, the Committee had received a total of 168,801 submissions on the Bill and, save for 11 stakeholders who submitted specific comments on the respective clauses, the rest rejected in its entirety. "99.99 per cent of the submissions received expressed strong opposition to the Bill, either in its entirety, or specifically the clauses relating to extension of terms of the President, Members of Parliament, governors and Members of County Assemblies, from five years to seven years," said Sigei. Kalonzo gave the Kenya Kwanza government until March to ensure there is a functional Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission(IEBC) in place to prepare the country for the next general election, arguing that the country was staring at a constitutional crisis if this is not done. Kalonzo vowed to lead the mother of all demonstrations in the country if there will be no IEBC commissioners in place by that time. Speaking at the same event, Embu Senator Alexander Mundigi called on security agencies to carry out thorough investigations and establish who is behind the series of abductions across the country, which he said were aimed at tainting the Kenya Kwanza administration. "I am calling on Kenyans to give the investigative agencies a chance to unravel what is happening," said Mundigi. Also at the mass, former Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi lauded the Anglican Church for its role in pointing out the ills being committed in society. Murungi condemned the forced disappearances of youths and asked the government to address the matter as the year begins and ensure those found culpable are dealt with as per the law. "We are asking the government to address the issue of forced disappearances of our youths for expressing divergent opinions.Those found culpable should be dealt with as per the law," said Murungi.

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