Elgeyo Marakwet senator Kipchumba Murkomen has questioned whether President Uhuru Kenyatta ill really retire in 2022 as his term comes to an end.
Speaking through his official twitter account on Monday October 26, 2020, the former senate Majority leader questioned why the head of state wants to amend the constitution, just two years to his retirement.
Murkomen noted that the president was not sincere with his 2022 retirement if he wants to leave an imperial president, after amending the constitution through the famous Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).
“Why does a retiring President want to leave behind an imperial President if he is truly retiring?” Murkomen posted.
President Kenyatta and his new-found friend, the ODM leader Raila Odinga on October 13 received the second BBI report recommendations at the Kisii State Lodge, with the report set to be officially launched to Kenyans today (Monday October 26), at the Bomas of Kenya.
The report has elicited mixed reactions since it was handed over to the handshake duo, with some Kenyans opposing it, claiming that the recommendations carries the interests of selfish politicians.
A task force was created after Prsident Kenyatta and Raila’s March 9, 2018 handshake to look at nine issues, including ethnic antagonism, corruption and devolution- some of the major issues perceived to be affecting the country since it got its independence.
Last year, the task force presented its findings at Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi amid much fanfare.
Some of its key proposals included; Introducing the position of a prime minister, giving counties bigger budgets to implement development schemes, making the cabinet more representative of the nation and intensifying corruption fight.
In the BBI report, the president remains the Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief, while the Prime Minister will draw his powers from parliament and supervise the execution of day-to-day government affairs.
The PM, under the proposals, will be the leader of the largest political party or coalition of parties and will be appointed by the president and approved by the House.
However, the critics of the report have argued that the return of an imperial president is ill-advised. Some claim that President Kenyatta is likely to stick to power in 2022, but the head of state has on several occasion dismissed the claims.
