Nandi County Senator Samson Cheragei has claimed that a majority of Kenyans support his proposed bill to increase to seven years from the current five-year terms for the various elective seats in the country.

Speaking during the Senate afternoon session on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, Cherargei noted that he had equally received insults and praise for suggesting that the politicians’ terms be extended.

He also said that his phone number had received at least 12,000 SMSs and over 20,000 WhatsApp messages following the public participation in his bill, which proposes an increase of terms of elected officials. 

Cherargei sponsored the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill 2024, seeking to increase term limits for the president, Members of Parliament, Governors, and Members of County Assemblies (MCAs).

“I have been a victim in the last one week. My phone has been called; I have received insults; I have also received praise. As we talk today, my phone has over 12,000 SMS messages. I have close to 20,000 WhatsApp messages. I have received so many phone calls,” Cherargei said.

Cherargei also suggests in his bill that the Office of the Prime Minister be created where he/she will be appointed by the president.

While the controversial bill has generated reactions from several quarters of the Kenyan population, Cherargei maintains that a majority of Kenyans still support it.

Majority support?

“There is a data privacy breach that no one is addressing. 60 per cent of Kenyans are supporting my bill while 40 per cent are opposing,” he added.

Cherargei, whose own party has distanced itself from the bill, will have an uphill task when senators vote to either support it and take it to the National Assembly or kill it.

“The party, therefore, disassociates itself from the repugnant and backward bill and calls any of its rank and file who leads, supports, or is, in any manner whatsoever, involved with it, to order,” United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary-General Omar Hassan said on October 3, 2024.

On October 25, 2024, the Senate confirmed that its mail system had crashed after Kenyans sent over 200,000 emails commenting on the proposal to increase term limits for elective seats in Kenya.

“Thank you for the overwhelming response to the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2024. Due to high volumes of submissions, our email system has temporarily experienced issues,” the Senate announced.

“The Senate received over 200,000 submissions, reaching the maximum capacity of the allocated email addresses. Alternatively, you may send your submissions to [email protected]. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”