Nandi County Senator Samson Cherargei has proposed a bill seeking to extend the president’s and all elected leaders’ term limits from the five-year term limit to seven years. All elected leaders, running from county levels, including members of the county assembly, will have their tenure extended to seven years should the bill pass through.
The Bill seeks to amend Article 136 of the Constitutions to extend the president’s office tenure from five to seven years. COnsequently, the Bill proposes the creation of the office of the Prime Ministers.
By doing so, the bill seeks to amend Article 151 by inserting Article 151A. The prime minister shall be a member of parliament and shall be a leader of the majority party or coalitions of parties, appointed by the President.
The Prime Minister will be responsible to Parliament for overseeing daily government operations and serving as the head of government. However, the president shall have the monopoly of office of the Prime Minister, whereby he/she shall be obliged to terminate the Prime Minister at any time.
The bill proposes the to amend both Article 177 and Article 180 of the constitution to amend the term limit of Members of County Assembly and that of the Governor from five years to seven years.
Articles 152, 154, 155, 157, 166, 215, 288, 229, 245, 250, and 251 of the constitution are proposed to be amended by the bill. These articles deal with the processes for the Senate and National Assembly to appoint and remove different state officers from office.
The Nandi Senator had earlier claimed that five-year tenure was little for the elected leaders to execute their mandates as expected, and therefore there was a need to extend the term limit for all the elected leaders, especially that of the president, from five to seven years.
