NAIROBI, Kenya – The Senate has been flooded with public backlash as more than 121,000 written memoranda were submitted by Kenyans rejecting a proposed amendment to the Constitution seeking to extend the term limits for the president and other elected officials.
The surge of emails rejecting the bill came in just days before the window for public participation closed on Friday, signaling an unprecedented level of opposition.
The Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2024, spearheaded by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, proposes to increase the terms for the president, senators, MPs, MCAs, and governors from the current five years to seven years.
Critics argue that the bill is an attempt by the political class to entrench themselves in power.
According to sources within Parliament, no bill in recent memory—not even the controversial Finance Bill 2024, which sparked nationwide protests—has drawn this level of public dissent.
At one point, memoranda were being submitted at the rate of one per second. By the time the public participation forum took place at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), it was estimated that the total number of submissions could exceed 200,000.
The pushback has been swift and widespread. Religious organizations, civil society, and ordinary Kenyans have united in opposition to the bill.
The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) was among the organizations that sent a memorandum rejecting the proposal, arguing that the current five-year term is sufficient for elected leaders to implement their policies.
“Extending the term beyond this period is unnecessary as 10 years (two five-year terms) is enough to ensure significant development,” said NCCK Secretary General Canon Chris Kinyanjui.
Ufungamano Joint Forum of Religious Organizations also voiced their rejection, calling the proposal “self-seeking and self-centered,” benefiting only the ruling class.
In the Senate, the backlash was nearly unanimous, with reports indicating that 99.9% of the submitted memoranda opposed the bill.
The bill, which was introduced in the Senate in late September, has sparked debate not only among the public but also within political circles.
Kiambu Senator Karungo Thang’wah criticized the proposal as a maneuver by the ruling Kenya Kwanza Alliance to cling to power.
He accused President William Ruto and his allies of quietly supporting the bill, despite the official denials from the government.
“They know they have lost the trust of the people and are trying to extend their time in power,” Thang’wah claimed.
He questioned why the bill was being pushed at this moment, suggesting it was a proxy move for those in power to secure their political future.
However, leaders from the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) have distanced themselves from the proposal.
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah dismissed the bill as “dead on arrival” and said it was a waste of time and resources.
UDA Secretary General Hassan Omar also rejected the bill, calling it “illegitimate, retrogressive, and myopic.”
The bill proposes not only to extend term limits but also to create the Office of the Prime Minister, a role that has been a point of contention in Kenya’s political landscape.
While proponents of the bill argue it will strengthen governance by enhancing the role of the Senate and giving it more powers to vet state officers, critics see it as an unnecessary expansion of political power.
With public opposition at an all-time high, the fate of the bill remains uncertain as the Senate’s Justice, Legal Affairs, and Human Rights Committee prepares to hold a final public participation forum at KICC.
Many observers believe the overwhelming public outcry will make it difficult for the bill to move forward.
The surge of emails rejecting the bill came in just days before the window for public participation closed on Friday, signaling an unprecedented level of opposition.
The Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2024, spearheaded by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, proposes to increase the terms for the president, senators, MPs, MCAs, and governors from the current five years to seven years.
Critics argue that the bill is an attempt by the political class to entrench themselves in power.
According to sources within Parliament, no bill in recent memory—not even the controversial Finance Bill 2024, which sparked nationwide protests—has drawn this level of public dissent.
At one point, memoranda were being submitted at the rate of one per second. By the time the public participation forum took place at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), it was estimated that the total number of submissions could exceed 200,000.
The pushback has been swift and widespread. Religious organizations, civil society, and ordinary Kenyans have united in opposition to the bill.
The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) was among the organizations that sent a memorandum rejecting the proposal, arguing that the current five-year term is sufficient for elected leaders to implement their policies.
“Extending the term beyond this period is unnecessary as 10 years (two five-year terms) is enough to ensure significant development,” said NCCK Secretary General Canon Chris Kinyanjui.
Ufungamano Joint Forum of Religious Organizations also voiced their rejection, calling the proposal “self-seeking and self-centered,” benefiting only the ruling class.
In the Senate, the backlash was nearly unanimous, with reports indicating that 99.9% of the submitted memoranda opposed the bill.
The bill, which was introduced in the Senate in late September, has sparked debate not only among the public but also within political circles.
Kiambu Senator Karungo Thang’wah criticized the proposal as a maneuver by the ruling Kenya Kwanza Alliance to cling to power.
He accused President William Ruto and his allies of quietly supporting the bill, despite the official denials from the government.
“They know they have lost the trust of the people and are trying to extend their time in power,” Thang’wah claimed.
He questioned why the bill was being pushed at this moment, suggesting it was a proxy move for those in power to secure their political future.
However, leaders from the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) have distanced themselves from the proposal.
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah dismissed the bill as “dead on arrival” and said it was a waste of time and resources.
UDA Secretary General Hassan Omar also rejected the bill, calling it “illegitimate, retrogressive, and myopic.”
The bill proposes not only to extend term limits but also to create the Office of the Prime Minister, a role that has been a point of contention in Kenya’s political landscape.
While proponents of the bill argue it will strengthen governance by enhancing the role of the Senate and giving it more powers to vet state officers, critics see it as an unnecessary expansion of political power.
With public opposition at an all-time high, the fate of the bill remains uncertain as the Senate’s Justice, Legal Affairs, and Human Rights Committee prepares to hold a final public participation forum at KICC.
Many observers believe the overwhelming public outcry will make it difficult for the bill to move forward.
