MPs should be allowed into Cabinet without resigning - Cherargei

Speaking during Parliamentary proceedings, the Senator explained that taxpayers incur a lot of cost when an MP is required to resign, prompting a by-election in the Constituency. 

Instead, he opined that the lawmaker should be granted sitting allowance at the Cabinet to cut on expenses. 

"Why should we appoint a member of parliament, they resign, we go for by-election, the country incurs expenses. Let's allow MPs in the Cabinet, give them sitting allowances and save salaries," he said. 

Further, he noted that the executive should be expanded to accommodate the broad-based agenda. He recommended the creation of a Prime Minister and two deputy Prime Ministers as stipulated in the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report. 

"Even as NADCO is being processed, we must broaden the executive. The current Constitution only has President and DP which will not accommodate the divergent nature of Kenya," Cherargei revealed. 

"The reason we have heightened campaigns, jostling and pushing for executive powers is because winner takes it all and there are only two positions. The executive branch must have the President, DP, Prime Minister and his two deputies."

Cherargei's remarks contributed to the Statutory Instruments (Amendment) Bill (Senate Bills No.10 of 2024), that is part of the 9 bills meant to enforce the NADCO report. 

The report was formed as a political truce between President William Ruto and Opposition leader Raila Odinga to build a consensus following the 2023 protests. 

It focuses on five areas; Constitutional matters, electoral justice, establishment of state offices, fidelity to political parties/coalitions and entrenching funds into the Constitution. 

The NADCO process had stalled for months but has picked new momentum following the Raila-Ruto handshake that led to the broad-based government.