Attorney General Justin Muturi has maintained that the establishment of the office of the official opposition leader is still on the table for the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Muturi’s proposal seeks to bring back to parliament Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party presidential candidate Raila Odinga and his 2022 presidential running mate Martha Karua.
Muturi, who is the chief government advisor, said the official office of the opposition can be created without a referendum and will see Azimio’s top officials play the role of the opposition.
The former national Assembly speaker said the Kenya Kwanza administration can tweak the constitution through the parliament to increase the number of members of the house towards establishing the office.
“It is possible and we do not need a referendum. We can tinker a bit with Article 108 to have the person who comes second in the presidential polls be the minority leader in the National Assembly and the running mate, the minority leader in the Senate,” Muturi told NTV.
Should the proposal sail through, Raila who emerged second in the 2022 presidential election will automatically become the minority leader in parliament while Narc Kenya party leader Martha Karua will become the minority leader in the Senate.
“The second in the last general election can take the minority leadership slot in both Houses. These arrangements will ensure we have a true opposition in parliament,” Muturi said.
It is however ironic for the Kenya Kwanza administration to push for the establishment of the official opposition office having opposed similar plans prior to the hotly contested 2022 presidential elections.
The handshake team led by now Rtd. President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga had proposed Constitutional amendments through the Building Bridges Initiative that sought to eliminate the winner takes it all.
However, William Ruto’s wing strongly opposed the move saying that it was seeking to create positions for the dynasties and that it would be a burden to the taxman.
