NAIROBI, October 8 – Igembe South Member of Parliament (MP) Mithika Linturi has given a notice of motion seeking to introduce a Bill that will limit the age of future presidential candidates at 65.
Linturi told Parliament on Tuesday that the Constitution provides that a person shall be qualified to be nominated for election as President if they had attained the age of 35 years, but no upper age limit had been provided.
The MP also sought to introduce a motion aimed at raising the retirement age for all civil servants from the current 55 years to 60.
“The Pensions Act Cap 189 should be amended to make provision that upon retirement an officer shall not be eligible for re-appointment, re-engagement nor extension of service,” Mr Linturi told Parliament.
He further gave notice of the Local Authority Remuneration Bill, aimed at fixing the salaries of Mayors, Deputy Mayors and councillors.
Still in Parliament, Justice Minister Martha Karua said the review of constituency boundaries may have to await the constitutional review process.
Ms Karua said the only other way to fast-track the boundary review was if the Electoral Commission of Kenya requested it to be done. Such a request, she said, had has not been made.
“The Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2007 was brought before this House last year and it sought to allow the review of boundaries. This Bill was however defeated. We now have to wait.”
A number of leaders have been calling for the review of constituency boundaries to allow for better representation of the people.
Among them are Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta. President Kibaki’s eldest son, Jimmy, has also appealed for the review of constituency boundaries.
Karua was speaking during Wednesdays morning where Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu asked what steps the Minister had taken to split his constituency, which has a population of about 249,000 people.
Meanwhile, village elders may soon receive government allowances after Parliament passed a motion to introduce a Bill seeking to compel the State to pay them.
The motion paved the way for the introduction of the Office of Village Elders Bill that would amend the Chiefs Act.
The motion, moved by Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa, was supported by Ministers and backbenchers.
“Villages elders play a critical role in linking the government and people at the grassroots and yet there is no formal, legal or remunerative recognition given to them. This must be corrected,” Wamalwa told the House.
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