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| United Democratic Party (UDA) secretary general Hassan Omar |
The United Democratic Party (UDA) has distanced itself from a proposed Constitutional Amendment Bill to extend the presidential term limit to seven years.
The ruling party’s secretary general Hassan Omar in a statement Tuesday termed the move by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei to increase the presidential two term to seven years and elected representatives term limits goes against the aspirations of Kenyan citizens.
“Of grave concern is that is that this cynical, profoundly misguided and self-serving Bill contravenes a long-held aspiration of the people of Kenya to retire the undemocratic entrenchment of unaccountable political monopolies, and seeks to deny the people regular opportunities to hold leadership to account and directly exercise sovereign power,” the UDA SG said.
He added that sponsoring such a Bill wouldn’t seek to pursue any meaningful objectives beyond illegitimate, myopic and retrogressive ends.
Omar accused the close ally of President William Ruto of orchestrating distractions on issues facing Kenyans.
“The masterminds and sponsors of the constitutional amendment bill, who are evidently preoccupied with sensational distractions and perverse indulgence in political delinquency and legislative mischief, have not engaged in sufficient reflection with regard to the historical origins, institutional basis and political necessity of term limits,” he said.
Terming the proposal as an experiment to taste waters, the UDA secretary general noted that the bill is incompatible with the party’s policy and aspirations and called upon its supporters to order.
He added, “This juvenile political experimentation and delinquent affront to our constitutional values must now crush to halt.”
By Muraya Kamunde