President William Ruto’s UDA Party has yet again spoken out about claims by Fafi MP Salah Yakub that there was a plan to scrap the two-term-presidential limit and cap the age limit for running for the seat at 75.
The plan was first brought up by the UDA Party legislator who claimed they were seeking to remove the two terms currently set for any president.
And although the party distanced itself from Yakub’s remarks, dismissing them “a product of the legislator’s fertile imagination”, the party has divulged that President Ruto is interested in vying for presidency in the 2027 General Election.
UDA Executive Director Odanga Pessa says Dr. Ruto does not support any amendment seeking to repeal the presidential term limit, and that he will hang up his boots after a second term should he clinch the top seat again in the next pollls.
“I know that President Ruto wants to finish his first term, vie for another term, and then go home. We do not want to introduce dictatorship and anything else is just propaganda,” Pessa said during a Wednesday interview with Radio Citizen.
The Fafi MP had said that they are seeking to remove the two terms currently set for any president, arguing that it denies performing leaders an opportunity to develop the nation further.
He even claimed a bill to extend the presidential term limit was already being drafted.
“I, together with some of my fellow MPs, are planning to push a Bill in Parliament that contests the two terms of serving as president,” Yakub said.
Pessa has however dismissed the MP’s claims, saying the President Ruto-led party upholds democracy and such allegations were made in the legislator’s personal capacity.
“We are a democratic country and as a party we also support democracy. We have our Secretary General Veronica Maina and Chairman Johnson Muthama and we have not had any meeting to discuss term limits.
“We however believe that every Kenyan has freedom of expression and so the MP has the right to air his views,” said Pessa.
“Those are neither President Ruto nor UDA’s views. The president has the government spokesperson and so does UDA. We cannot send any person to say things on our behalf,” he added.
Even so, a section of UDA legislators, led by Nandi Senator Kiprotich arap Cherargei, have vowed to support the bill when tabled at the Senate.
Cherargei through a tweet last Wednesday defended Yakub’s proposal as his democratic right to push for a constitutional amendment.
“UDA is an epitome of democracy & rule of law. Hon. Salah Yakub is within his right to push this amendment let’s listen first, I shall support in the senate. This is a conversation that might happen in future by Kenyans on scrapping of term limit of a President,” wrote the Senator.
Kenya’s two-term limit went into effect ahead of the 1992 General Election.
According to Article 142 of the 2010 Constitution, the President shall hold office for a term beginning on the date of the inauguration and ending when the person next elected President is sworn in.
It states that no person may serve as president for more than two terms.
