Jubilee party Vice-chairman David Murathe has made it public that he wishes president Uhuru Kenyatta stays in power beyond 2022.
Murathe, a close friend to President Uhuru Kenyatta said he fancied the head of the state staying a bit longer were it not for the tight constitutional guidelines.
He however said the president is a stickler to the rule of law and as such will not even be seeking to contest for Gatundu South Parliamentary seat, currently occupied by Moses Kuria.
“Some of us could have wished he stayed a bit longer. But you can not expect Uhuru under the new dispensation to even run for the MP for Gatundu South.” Murathe said.
The outspoken Jubilee leader cited the example of Russia where current president Vladimir Putin alternates between being president and Prime Minister.
The Constitution of Kenya allows a president to rule for two 5-year-terms.
Uhuru whose two terms as the president comes to an end in August 2022 took over the office from Mwai Kibaki who also served for two terms.
He has on several occasions dismissed rumors of him seeking another term in office adding that he will not even seek to become Kenya’s third Prime Minister.
During a virtual meeting with Atlantic Council’s Katrina Manson in June 2020, Uhuru said the Kenyan Constitution 2010 is clear with regards to presidential term limits.
“It is unfortunate that some people have interpreted the scenario of a referendum to change the Constitution, to mean that certain individuals want to amend that constitution to extend the presidential term,”
“I can tell you if there is one thing that Kenyans are very clear about is the two-term limit and they have been clear about since 1992when we introduced multipartyism. And there has been no single president that has broken that and I don’t want to be the first,” Uhuru said.
