Okiya Omtatah: Cherargei’s term extension bill is in practical terms dead
By Mabonga Makhanu, September 9, 2025Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah has stated that despite the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) rejecting the motion sponsored by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei seeking to extend the presidential term limit to seven years, it is still being tabled for its second reading.
In a statement shared on his socials on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, amid public uproar, he urged Kenyans not to be alarmed since, according to him, the bill never saw the light of day.
Omtatah explained that when Cherargei’s bill was brought before the JLAC committee, where he is a member, they reviewed it closely and recommended that the Senate reject the bill in its entirety. The mover of the bill was asked to withdraw it, but he declined.
“The Senate’s Standing Committee on Justice, Legal Affairs and Human Rights, where I am a member, conducted a thorough review of the Bill, and after careful consideration, the Committee unanimously recommended that the Senate reject the Bill in its entirety and advised the sponsor to withdraw it, but he declined,” Omtatah stated.
According to Omtatah, the committee’s report established that the bill pushed by Cherargei went against the spirit of the 2010 Constitution, as it raised more constitutional difficulties than it purported to solve.
He went on to express his disappointment that despite the committee’s advice, the same bill is still scheduled for its second reading. For it to proceed to a third reading, it requires at least a two-thirds majority in both Houses. He further added that while it is technically alive, it is practically dead.
“Although the Bill is scheduled to proceed to Second Reading in the Senate, the constitutional amendment threshold under Article 256(1)(d), requiring at least a two-thirds majority in both Houses at both Second and Third Readings, renders its passage politically and practically unviable. In short, while technically still alive, this bill is, in practical terms, dead,” he added.
Senate’s response
This comes after a statement from the Senate responding to the uproar, dismissing the rumour and clarifying that no such bill is set to be tabled for discussion. They emphasised that the presidential term extension bill never saw the light of day and was dropped after overwhelming opposition from Kenyans.