Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has proposed increment of the presidential term to seven years from the current five years.

In a memorandum submitted to the National Dialogue Committee on Friday, September 22, the lawmaker wants the current law that restricts the presidential term limit to 2-five year terms amended to push the number of years one can serve to seven years in each term.

This, Senator Cherargei argues, would give the president sufficient time to implement their manifesto.

“Whereas the current constitution provides for two term presidential term limit comprising of ten years there is need to increase the same to two terms of seven years each. This enables the president to have good opportunity to form and establish a formidable team to deliver his manifesto,” the memorandum seen by People Daily Digital reads in part.

According to the senator, the increment would also help address the country’s perennial electoral challenges.

“The Kenya presidential election is always highly profiled as a result of it being conducted within a short period of time thus making it a Do or Die adventure,” Cherargei says.

Cherargei is also seeking the the re-reintroduction of the positions of official leader of opposition and the prime minister as well as constitutional backing for the constituency and ward development funds.

“Unlike in the past, under the current legislative framework, the link between the executive and legislature is the majority party leader. Holding the government accountable in such legislative makeup can become futile due to the political circumstance such an attempt might find itself in,” Cherargei argues.

“The Prime Minister, like the practice in the UK’s Parliament, represents the government and is ever present in parliament and thus can be able to explain the government’s direction on any matter upon such request by members of parliament from across all political divides.”

The National Dialogue Committee had early this month invited members of the public to give their views on the agenda of the ongoing dialogue between the Kenya Kwanza Alliance and Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Coalition Party.

As of September 11, the committee had received 142 memoranda from stakeholders.

The committee co-chaired by former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka (Azimio) and National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah (Kenya Kwanza) was established with a view of ending the standoff between the Kenya Kwanza administration and the opposition that saw the latter call for street demonstrations to protest against rising cost of living as well as alleged electoral injustices.

Among the primary agenda of the committee are two-thirds gender rule, the cost of living, fidelity to political parties and coalitions, entrenching political party funds into the constitution, and establishment of the official leader of the opposition office and the office of prime cabinet secretary.