NAIROBI, Kenya – A parliamentary committee has rejected a proposal to extend senators’ terms from five to seven years, arguing that such a change would require a complete constitutional overhaul.
In a report tabled before both the Senate and the National Assembly, the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee dismissed the recommendation by the National Dialogue Committee (Nadco), stating that the proposed amendment would be legally untenable and financially impractical.
“Altering the term and date of election of members of the Senate would require a complete overhaul of the constitution,” the report reads.
The committee, co-chaired by Bomet Senator Hillary Sigei and Tharaka MP George Murugara, raised concerns about the financial burden of holding Senate elections separately from other national polls.
“The committee observed that conducting two general elections would further escalate the cost of elections, noting that the cost of elections in Kenya was already among the highest in the world,” the report added.
Nadco had proposed amendments to Articles 101 and 102 of the Constitution, suggesting that while elections for the presidency, National Assembly, county assemblies, and governors would continue every five years, Senate elections should take place every seven years.
However, the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee found no compelling reason to justify this change.
“Implementation of the proposal would create significant legal, practical, and administrative challenges,” the report stated, emphasizing that the Constitution envisions a single general election cycle.
The committee also noted that altering the Senate’s term length would require a referendum, as it touches on issues of sovereignty outlined in Articles 255 and 256(5) of the Constitution.
Nadco, a bipartisan committee formed in 2023 by President William Ruto and opposition leader Raila Odinga to address political tensions, had also proposed several other constitutional changes.
Among them was the introduction of the office of the Prime Minister, the establishment of an official opposition office, and the constitutional recognition of key government funds, including the Senate Oversight Fund and the National Government-Constituency Development Fund.
Despite these far-reaching proposals, the Nadco report has remained in the Senate for months without significant progress.
