The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has indicated that their members will shoot down the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill 2024, which seeks to prolong the stay of elected leaders in power from five to seven years.
In a statement on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, ODM’s chairpersons across 47 counties resolved that the controversial bill would be resisted in both houses of Parliament.
“The leaders have further resolved to oppose the proposed amendments to the constitution to extend the terms of elected leaders from five to seven years and called on the ODM MPs to shoot down the said proposals in Parliament,” Nyandarua County chairperson of ODM Dickson Manyara said.
ODM also said the party’s grassroots elections date will soon be announced and encouraged the members of Parliament to resist any attempts to scale down the shareable revenue allocations to the counties.
The party officials also endorsed the appointment of Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o as the acting party leader, the various officials and the three deputy party party leaders.
Term limit extension bill
On Tuesday, October 29, 2024, Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei revealed that a majority of Kenyans supported the controversial bill even as members indicated that it was ill-conceived and doomed to fail.
In his speech in the Senate, Cherargei who is the sponsor of the bill noted that 60 per cent of Kenyans supported the bill with only 40 per cent opposing it.
President William Ruto’s UDA party has since distanced itself from the bill, urging its rank and file to desist from activities which further the bill’s proposals.
“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.
Adding: “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.”
UDA Secretary-General Omar Hassan, however, has dismissed the legislative proposals, noting that they fail to align with the party’s ideals.
“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.
