Cherargei’s Bill on Extention of Electoral Term To 7 years

President William Ruto has unequivocally voiced his opposition to the proposed extension of the presidential term to 7 years. Speaking to the media, he has made it clear that any discussion about altering the Constitution for personal gain is unacceptable. He firmly stated that as President, he would not support any changes to the Constitution, particularly those related to term limits.

“I want to be very clear that as President, I will not participate in mutilating the Constitution for purposes of serving selfish, personal, parochial interests. The same way we opposed BBI because it was meant to achieve selfish parochial personal interests we will oppose any move to change the Constitution,” President Ruto stated.

A few days later, Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei is seen pushing the discussion. From a video posted on X, Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei released a press statement stating that presidential term limits should be extended from 5 years to 7. He says that a year is lost during campaigning while another is lost in Supreme Court Litigations and Settling down in office.

“In any election period, we lose a whole year in campaigns and another year is lost immediately after elections, because of the litigations, the Supreme Court and thereafter after transition period of new government settling down into the formation of new government such cabinet vetting by parliament and appointment of the same including senior government officials. In total, we lose two years in a period of five years leaving only three years for a president and new government to work. It is therefore justifyiable to increase the presidential term limit to 7 years per term totaling to 14 years,” the statement read in part.

He added that the proposal would be subjected to public referendum or popular initiative, as highlighted in article 257 of the Kenyan 2010 Constitution.

However, this move has angered many Kenyans, with many of them considering that Cherargei is only thinking of extending his term limit to milk-dying Kenyans. It is worth noting that this is the second time Cherargei has made such proposals. He made similar attempts in 2023 through the National Dialogue Committee that President Ruto and Raila Odinga formed. Kenyans now have until Friday, October 25, 2024 to submit their memoranda on the proposed bill, which is now at the Senate.