Saboti Member of Parliament (MP) Caleb Amisi has strongly rejected renewed calls to amend the Constitution and reduce the number of counties, accusing the proponents of hypocrisy and double standards.

Taking to his official X account on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, Amisi faulted those now pushing for a referendum, noting that they are the same leaders who championed the 2010 Constitution that created the 47 devolved units.

“The tragedy we have in Kenya is that the very people who brought devolution of 47 counties are now telling us to go to a referendum again and vote to reduce them,” Amisi said.

Kenya’s size and population

He questioned the rationale behind the move, arguing that Kenya’s size and population have not changed since 2010, when the Constitution was promulgated.

“And they want those who did not support the new constitution to help them change the #KatibaAt15 because Kenya is now small. Question: When they were campaigning for a new constitution containing the 47 counties, was Kenya’s population and size bigger then, and now has it reduced?” Amisi questioned.

The outspoken Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) lawmaker warned Kenyans against what he termed “being taken in circles” by political elites seeking to use constitutional amendments for personal gain.

He particularly took aim at what he called “Moi’s scions”, claiming they are recycling the same tactics of political manipulation.

“Kenyans must avoid being taken round in circles by Moi’s scions. Enough of these! You brought the skunk; have your skunk! Kenya needs a renaissance urgently!” Amisi declared.

His remarks come at a time when debates around constitutional reforms are gaining momentum, with some leaders pushing for a leaner system of devolution, citing high recurrent expenditure and duplication of roles.

Raila’s reform proposals

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has called for a major overhaul of Kenya’s devolved system of governance, arguing that counties should have more autonomy over key sectors such as education, infrastructure, and resource allocation.

Speaking on Thursday, August 14, 2025, at the 9th Devolution Conference in Homa Bay County, Raila outlined a series of reforms aimed at strengthening county governments and improving service delivery across the nation.

Raila, a key architect of Kenya’s 2010 Constitution, emphasised that devolution was intended to empower local communities and that the time had come to extend these powers further.

“The time has come for Kenya to devolve education up to secondary school. It makes no sense to see a Minister of Education inspecting primary school structures or construction in counties. That is the work that should be done by the governors,” he said.

Currently, counties only manage Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) centres, leaving primary and secondary schools under the national government. Raila argued that this arrangement has led to duplication of duties, inefficiency, and weak accountability.