Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has proposed a raft of constitutional amendments that he wants implemented to solve some of the country’s political problems.
Speaking in Kisumu on Saturday, July 27, 2024, when he opened a two-day COTU workshop on how to integrate the youth in workers’ union movements, Atwoli said that the constitution should be amended to delink Deputy President from being elected together with the President.
Atwoli on DP’s appointment
According to Atwoli, the Deputy President should be appointed by the president after the elections are over.
The renowned trade unionist says electing the DP together with the Head of State has always made them feel like they are the president’s equals, at some point.
“We should relook at the duties and responsibilities and the appointment of the Vice President. Hii ya kuchaguliwa pamoja na Vice President si vizuri, because a Vice President feels as if he is also a president,” Atwoli stated.
Atwoli on DP’s loyalty to president
Atwoli went ahead to note that allowing an elected president to appoint his deputy after the elections are over will make the DP 100 per cent loyal to his boss.
He says that other than being appointed, a Deputy President can be elected separately on a different ballot with the president.
“We must rethink, either he is appointed by the sitting president so that his loyalty is 100 per cent with that president, or be elected separately after the presidential election,” Atwoli said.
Ruto-Gachagua fallout
Atwoli’s amendments proposal to the constitution comes after claims of President William Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua falling out emerged about two months ago.
The claims became the talk of the country after a war of words ensued between DP Gachagua and perceived close allies of President Ruto.
Gachagua had fingered a section of leaders close to President Ruto for orchestrating division in Mt Kenya saying they will not succeed.
The war of words saw the President issue sentiments perceived to be contradicting those issued by the DP, further fueling speculations on the state of their relationship.
When President Ruto addressed the nation at State House, Nairobi in June 2024 announcing that he had withdrawn the controversial Finance Bill 2024, following the Gen Z-led protests, his deputy addressed another presser from Mombasa, accusing the National Intelligence Service Director General Noordin Haji of failing in his work.
The cracks among the two leaders saw Ruto’s allies kickstart a process to impeach the DP, which they later denied.
However, this is not the first relationship to have gone soar between the president and his deputy.
During his tenure as the Deputy President, President Ruto fell out with his boss, the then President Uhuru Kenyatta during their second term, after the then Head of State faulted his deputy over early presidential campaigns ahead of the 2022 general elections.
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