Former Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe happens to be one of the African Presidents who have served for long. Didn’t he have a term limit? Well, Kenyan Governors want their term limits removed to allow them seek re-election as many times as possible.
Article 180 (7) of the Constitution says “a person shall not hold office – (a) as a county governor for more than two terms; or (b) as a deputy county governor for more than two terms.”
A draft document by a special committee preparing for a possible referendum on behalf of the Council of Governors proposes that county bosses be allowed to contest elections beyond the ten years limit.
They argue that its unfair to limit them two five-year terms when other elected leaders like MPS and MCAs are allowed to run for office as may times as they wish.
The proposal is in its initial stages. The committee, co-chaired by Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana and Kiraitu Murungi of Meru, has only met once since it was constituted last October. It is expected to meet again within the next two weeks to firm up its proposals.
Yesterday, CoG chairman Wycliffe Oparanya said he was yet to see the report. Once it is presented to him he will call all the governors to a retreat so they can adopt a common position, he said.
In October last year, the CoG backed calls for a referendum to change the Constitution on condition that the changes would increase allocation of cash to the counties.
Once the eleven-member committee completes its proposals it will present them to the Building Bridges team.
Other members of the special committee are Joyce Laboso (Bomet), Anyang’ Nyong’o (Kisumu), Amason Kingi (Kilifi) and Charity Ngilu (Kitui) together with Francis Kimemia (Nyandarua), Paul Chepkwony (Kericho), Oparanya (Kakamega), Ali Roba (Mandera) and Cornel Rasanga (Siaya).
The committee has proposed that counties’ allocation be increased to at least 45 per cent from the 15 per cent based on the current budget.
At the moment the central government gives counties 15 percent of the audited budget.