A petitioner now wants the National Assembly to amend the Constitution of Kenya 2010 to impose a 2-term limit to Members of Parliament (MPs), the Deputy President and several other officeholders.
The petitioner, Jonah Gachuki, claimed that it was unfair and discriminatory to have the two-term limit applied to only the President and Governors.
In the petition to the Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi, Gachuki further seeks to have the position of Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) subjected to the same limitations.
“In this regard, Honorable Members, I wish to report to the House that my office has received a petition signed by Jonah Gachuki. The Petitioner claims that, whereas Articles 142 and 180 of the Constitution fixes the term of office for the President and county Governors, respectively, to two terms, the provisions do not apply to the (aforementioned) seats,
“The petitioner is concerned that the above exemptions are discriminatory,” read the petition in part.
Other positions named in the petition include Speaker of the National Assembly, Speaker of the Senate, and Deputy Governors.
The two-term limit on governors’ reign came with the introduction of devolution as part of the 2010 Constitution which created 47 counties.
The presidential term limit was first introduced in 1991 after then-President Daniel Arap Moi repealed Section 2A of the constitution.
Confirming the receipt of the petition, Speaker Justin Muturi directed the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) to investigate the matter and report back to the house with their findings.
“Having determined that the matters raised by the petitioner are well within the authority of the House, I order that under the provision of Standing Orders 227 (1) the petition be committed to the departmental committee on Legal Affairs,” he said.