United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party distanced itself from a section of leaders engineering a Bill seeking to extend term limits for holders of elective offices.
In a statement, on Wednesday, UDA Secretary General Hassan Omar said the Bill is profoundly misguided and self-serving and contravenes a long-held aspiration of Kenyans.
He said the Bill seeks to deny the people regular opportunities to hold leadership to account and directly exercise sovereign power.
According to him, the Bill does not seek to pursue any meaningful objectives beyond illegitimate, myopic and retrogressive ends.
“The party therefore dissociates itself from the repugnant and backward bill and calls any of its rank and file who leads, supports or is, in any manner whatsoever, involved with it, to order: The bill is incompatible with our policy and aspirations. This juvenile political experimentation and delinquent affront to our constitutional values must now be crushed to a halt!” He said.
Omar faulted the masterminds and sponsors of the amendment bill, saying they were preoccupied with sensational distractions.
He said that they have failed to consider the duty of leadership to respect, uphold and defend the letter and spirit of the constitution and the commitment to offer leadership of the common national project of fully actualising its values and principles.
“UDA remembers the lessons of our nation’s history and honours the long struggle of the people of Kenya for constitutional change, which delivered us a liberal, progressive, democratic and inclusive constitutional dispensation, that has enabled our nation to make impressive strides in consolidating our institutions, deepening our democracy protecting our freedoms and placing our economy on the sustainable path of inclusive prosperity,” he added.
The Bill was proposed by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei.
Presidents will enjoy a seven-year term if the Bill amends Article 136 of the Constitution. Currently, the elected leaders serve for five-year terms before seeking re-election.
The proposal will also apply to other elected officials, such as governors and Members of Parliament.
The Bill also proposes the creation of the office of the Prime Minister, who will be appointed by the president.
