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Moday, September 25, 2023 – Vocal Kakamega Senator also UDA Party Chief Whip Boni Khalwale has taken issue with the proposal to have the presidential term limit quashed or extended.
Reacting today Sunday September 24, Dr. Khalwale, who is elected on the ruling party ticket, said such a proposal is not only unacceptable but also unconstitutional in nature.
“Extension of the constitutional presidential term limit as proposed by the senator of Nandi County, Cherargei, should be dismissed with the contempt that it deserves,” he charged.
In an earlier statement, the Chief Whip in the Senate had cautioned Kenyans against paying attention to the likes of Cherargei who have no clue how the current Constitution came about.
Khalwale said the current laws on the presidential term limit came about after thorough and long consultations on its pros and cons.
“This is absolute rubbish and nonsense and I want to advise Kenyans to be wary of person like Cherargei who have no idea where the statements come from and have just stumbled into office. The new Constitution came after many years of deliberations on the pros and cons of term limits,” Senator and Senate Majority Chief Whip stated.
According to President William Ruto’s ally(Cherargei), five years in office is not sufficient for the running of government and forming a formidable team to implement the election manifesto.
If Cherargei’s proposal is actualised it then means that if one is elected president, he or she would be in office for 7 years with the possibility of extension by another 7-year term.
Chapter nine of the Kenyan Constitution under Article 142 says: “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 Constitution only stipulates a five-year term with the possibility of another five-year term, thus, altering the structure of the Constitution will require a referendum.
