NAIROBI, Kenya — Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has reignited debate on constitutional reform by proposing that Kenya hold a national referendum alongside the 2027 General Election to resolve long-standing governance and constitutional disputes.
Speaking during an end-of-year interview at CHAMS Media in Nairobi, Mudavadi said the referendum could be conducted in tandem with the six elective positions that Kenyans will already vote for, arguing that the electorate is mature enough to handle additional constitutional questions.
“If you can vote for six people on one ballot paper, I think we are now mature enough to include maybe two or three constitutional questions,” he said.
Mudavadi, who also serves as Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, said discussions on the proposal should begin in 2026 to allow for adequate public participation and national consensus-building ahead of the polls.
He pointed to unresolved issues that have repeatedly generated political disputes and legal contestation, saying they have been left hanging despite parliamentary and judicial efforts.
Prime CS Mudavadi proposes holding a constitutional referendum alongside the 2027 General Election.Courtesy: Chams media.
One such matter is the implementation of the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report, which was meant to guide reforms after political tensions but has seen slow progress.
“Parliament was tasked to resolve the issues in the NADCO report, but there has been too much back and forth,” he said. “Why can’t we take this to IEBC and let Kenyans decide?”
Mudavadi suggested that other contentious issues, including the future of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and the long-standing two-thirds gender rule, could be put to a popular vote.
The CDF has been at the centre of ongoing legal and political debate, with courts repeatedly ruling against its current form and mandating that Parliament find a constitutional solution.
He also floated the idea of resolving the structure of government, including calls for a possible substantive Prime Minister position, an idea that has resurfaced periodically in public discourse but remains unresolved.
Mudavadi argued that combining the referendum with the general election would be cost-effective, since both exercises would run concurrently under the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
He dismissed concerns about voter overload, saying that well-framed ballot questions and voter education would enable citizens to make informed choices on both leadership and constitutional matters.
The proposal has already drawn support from some political quarters. Chama Cha Kazi party leader Moses Kuria backed Mudavadi’s call, saying the referendum could help Kenyans decide on issues that have long bedevilled the nation and fill gaps in the 2010 constitution.
As the conversation around the idea gains traction, political observers say the debate will likely shape national discourse ahead of the 2027 polls, particularly as Kenyans seek definitive solutions to persistent governance challenges.
