Senator Thang'wa proposes four-year term limit for all elected leaders

In a press briefing in Parliament on Wednesday, October 23, the senator emphasised that the new proposal would empower the public to hold their leaders accountable frequently and make more Kenyans engage in the electoral process. 

Thang'wa, a staunch supporter of impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, added that the amendment would provide opportunities for Kenyans to elect new leaders and as such strengthen the democratic norms of the country. 

"It will enhance accountability, encourage political participation, give new leadership opportunities, provide prevention of power consolidation, adaptability in governance, strengthen democratic norms, A 4-year term empowers Kenyans to hold their leaders accountable more frequently," Thang'wa said. 

"Voters deserve the right to evaluate their representatives and make necessary changes based on performance. Shorter terms can invigorate public's interest in politics. When citizens know they can influence leadership decisions every four years, they are more likely to engage in the electoral process." 

Thang'wa's bill is a counter to the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2024, that proposes to extend the terms of elected officials from five to seven years.

Sponsored by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, the bill has elicited an uproar from all quarters with critics terming the bill as 'dead on arrival.'

Alluding to Cherargei's proposal, Thang'wa claimed that it was a diversionary tactic to distract the public from national issues affecting them such as health sector, education, security, corruption among others. 

"This amendment may serve as a diversion from pressing national issues such as economic challenges and government failures," Thang'wa added. 

National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah also weighed in on Cherargei's bill, saying that it would not see the light of day. 

"That Cherargei legislative proposal on term limits is dead on arrival, period. He should save his own time, that of other Senators and tax payers money," Ichung'wah posted on X on Wednesday night, October 24. 

Ruling party, United Democratic Alliance (UDA), also criticised the bill, describing it as retrogressive and self-serving that would breach the country's democracy. 

“This cynical, profoundly misguided Bill contravenes the long-held aspiration of the Kenyan people to retire undemocratic entrenchment of unaccountable political monopolies,” UDA Secretary-General Hassan Omar said. 

The bill has also raised fundamental questions regarding the Constitutional basis as such an amendment would require a referendum and not just a parliamentary process. 

Amid the backlash, Cherargei's bill is currently in the public participation stage that will conclude on Friday, October 25.