NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 6 – Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei has opposed the ongoing calls to extend the presidential term limit, emphasizing the importance of upholding Kenya’s constitutional and political framework.
In a statement, PS Sing’Oei stated that extending presidential term beyond the two terms provided for by the constitution is incompatible with the country’s democratic principles.
He further underscored that any efforts to subvert the constitutional order through regime change, regardless of the guise, should not be tolerated.
“Third termism is incompatible with our constitutional and political order. So is regime change in all its guises. Both mustn’t be tolerated,” Sing’Oei said.
Sing’Oei’s statement comes at a time when a section of President William Ruto’s allies have been pushing for the extension of his rule beyond the two five-year terms stipulated in the 2010 constitution.
On Sunday, Tiaty Member of Parliament William Kamket chided those bashing President Ruto’s administration threatening to push for reforms to extend his term to 24 years in line with the late former President Daniel Arap Moi’s rule.
The Second time lawmaker scoffed at those downplaying the Kenya Kwanza government’s achievements insisting President Ruto’s victory in the last general election was the will of the people.
He exuded confidence that the head of state will rule for a second term despite sharp criticism from certain quarters.
“People should stop the pride. You are a President rightfully elected, sit on that seat well. The second term you will be elected, and you will bounce back like electricity,” Kamket noted.
Kamket, a native of Baringo County—the birthplace of the late President Daniel Arap Moi, who ruled Kenya for 24 years—has hinted at a possible presidential term extension for President Ruto.
“If they joke, you know I come from the county of 24 years. Baringo County we know about 24 years, we know to manufacture a president to survive for 24 years. If they joke, if they joke we can tell you to extend past the two terms,” he noted.
The Tiaty lawmaker castigated those accusing the government of state sponsored abductions led by Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya accusing him of abetting extrajudicial killings in the previous regime and fueling the unending insecurity in Kerio Valley.
Kamket lauded the government for silencing the guns in the North Rift that has been a troubled region since the KANU era by putting in place requisite measures to restore normalcy.
“What are you telling the President? That we have abductions here and there. Yet you are the one who abducted people. There are more than 100 people who were killed in Tiaty, extrajudicial killings.They were announcing empty operations,” he stated.
Senate committee rejected the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which sought to extend term limits for elected leaders including the President sponsored by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei following significant public backlash.
The Justice, Legal Affairs and Human Rights Committee delivered its verdict during a session on Thursday, stating that it would be untenable for the Senate to consider the Bill further.
The Bill proposed increasing the term of service for the president, senators, MPs, MCAs, and governors from the current five years to seven.
The committee’s report emphasized the public’s overwhelming rejection of the proposal, noting that 99.99 percent of participants in the public consultation phase opposed it.
During the public participation exercise held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, over 240,000 Kenyans submitted their views, causing the Senate’s email system to crash due to the high volume of responses.
