Kenyans have come out strongly to differ with President William Ruto over his intentions to amend the constitution.
Among the notable people to express their dissatisfaction is firebrand lawyer Miguna Miguna. Miguna, recently seen as having a soft spot for President William Ruto, has come out to defend the 2010 constitution – saying that there’s absolutely nothing bad nor defective with Kenyan law. “I will say it for the avoidance of doubt. There is nothing wrong with the Constitution. No defect. No errors. Nothing that requires amendments or mutilations. The Constitution requires honest and consistent implementation, application and respect. Period!” Miguna said.
The stance being taken by the President, to amend the constitution, is on sharp contrast with what he stood for a few months to the last general election. Ruto was a harshest critic of the building bridges innitative (BBI), a constitutional amendment bill that was being fronted by President Uhuru Kenyatta, and Raila Odinga. The president is now gravitating towards the amendment of the constitution – urging his Kenya Kwanza-allied members to push it in parliament. “Broadly, the matters in which I seek these purposive interventions are implementation of the two-thirds gender rule, Constituency Development, Senate Oversight and National Government Affirmative Action Funds, the position of the leader of the official opposition and Parliamentary oversight of the executive,” Ruto said in the memo.
He said, for instance, the Constitution failed to define the role of the minority side which is supposed to provide checks and balances against the government of the day.
He said it is for this reason that Kenyans needed to amend the constitution inorder to establish the position of official opposition leader.
“I believe that the idea of the official opposition, above and beyond mere minority parliamentary leadership, makes tremendous sense in terms of institutionalising governance, strengthening oversight and deepening democracy. Other notable figures who have come out to the idea to amend the constitution is former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, and Law Society of Kenya chairman Mr Erick Theuri.
