Lobbyist in call for rotational presidency to curb instability
By Mathew.Ndungu, January 19, 2023
A lobby group has proposed the introduction of a rotational presidency elected through universal suffrage as a deterrent to the apparent political instability in a country dogged by tribal political alliances.
If the proposal – which has already been handed over to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for approval – is anything to go by, members of the Kikuyu and Kalenjin communities will be barred from fielding a presidential candidate until all other ethnic tribes have one of their members elected president.
In the proposals that must see Article 137 of the constitution amended, Dr Magare Gikenyi and Milton Nyakundi who are the promoters of the Leta Usawa Kenya constitutional amendment 2023 bill, insist that ethnic communities whose member(s) have tasted the presidency immediately before would not be eligible to front a presidential candidate or a deputy president at least until all ethnic communities have been elected president and deputy president respectively.
“For the sake of national unity, equity, equality, harmony fostering cohesion, curing of historical imbalances in the presidency, enhancing inclusivity, social justice, prevent ethnic discrimination, schism & disillusionment and appreciating president as a symbol of national unity there shall be rotational president cycle doctrine among all ethnic communities,” the promoters say in their proposals.
In the proposals however, an ethnic community will not be allowed to have its members simultaneously vying for a position of both the president and deputy president in one presidential ticket of the same party and or coalition party or as an independent presidential candidate ticket.
The rotational presidency doctrine will see the candidate who receives the most electoral college votes in the fresh election declared as President elect in what the promoters insist will take effect in the general election immediately after promulgation of their proposed amendments.
“Parliament shall enact legislation to give full effect to this Article including (but not limited to) defining of tribe/ethnic community, intra and inter communities conflict resolution mechanisms, incorporation of regional considerations, emerging issues among others,” the two contend.
Electoral votes
The promoters have proposed the introduction of 328 electoral votes to be distributed per county with Nairobi, Kiambu, Nakuru, Bungoma and Meru counties taking the lion share with 31, 17, 15, 12 and 11 votes respectively. By enshrining rotational presidency in the constitution, the new law seeks to break the pattern of certain communities dominating the presidency due to their numerical advantage.
In the raft of other constitutional amendments, Gikenyi and Nyakundi also want 22 cabinet positions defined and anchored in the constitution under Article 152 to avoid a scenario whereby a new president reconfigures cabinet positions.
In their proposals, one ethnic community shall not contribute more than one member to the cabinet to facilitate ethnic inclusivity in government.
The bill further proposes to introduce the leader of official opposition position in the constitution by inserting a new Article 107A.
Official opposition
“It is proposed the Leader of Official Opposition shall be the person who received the second greatest number of Electoral College votes in a presidential election and whose political party or coalition of parties has at least twenty-five per cent of the members of the National Assembly. Further, a Leader of Official Opposition and the Prime Minister shall not be members of the same political party,” the proposed law says.
Additionally, the two also want NG-CDF kitty anchored in law through establishment of Constituency Development Fund legislation in parliament. “The Fund shall be used to facilitate the performance and implementation of national government development priorities set out in the national budget within the constituencies. Parliament shall enact legislation to provide for the management of the Fund including public participation by residents in a constituency,” the promoters’ section of proposals read in parts.