• Other quarters have demanded the Building Bridges Initiative report introduce an executive prime minister.
• This raises the question of whether the two terms have a different meaning.
Western leaders called for a powerful prime minister last weekend during a rally at Bukhungu stadium in Kakamega.
Other quarters have demanded the Building Bridges Initiative report introduce an executive prime minister.
This raises the question of whether the two terms have a different meaning. Who is an executive PM and who is a powerful PM?
In the Kenyan context, it would seem, when leaders call for a powerful PM they mean an executive PM. After all, the country is governed by an executive president who derives his powers from the constitution.
Elsewhere in the world, however, a prime minister with executive powers is not necessarily powerful.
Conversely, a ceremonial president is not necessarily less powerful. A number of presidents have no executive powers but still, maintain their powerful standing on the global stage insofar as the leadership of their countries is concerned.
In France, for instance, executive powers are vested in a prime minister, who forms government under the direction of the president.
Rarely do people hear of the French premier. All they hear about is the president, who is head of state. This is probably due to the president’s power being drawn through elections.
The French prime minister is the head of government, even though appointed by the president and approved by Parliament.
The prime minister coordinates the civil service, government agencies and oversees the armed forces. He or she leads the cabinet as well.
In the UK, the queen is powerful even though she has no executive roles. Despite her limited political power, her position is strengthened by monarchical powers. The UK premiere is powerful because of the vast political capital drawn from elections.
Some countries, however, have a point of convergence. In Israel, for example, the prime minister is powerful but also has executive powers as he forms the government.
The position of the president is largely ceremonial. Beyond the borders of the Middle East country, few people have an idea who its president is, even though Reuven Rivlin took the oath of office on July 24, 2014. The president is elected by the Israeli legislature (Knesset) for a single seven-year term.
Politicians must, therefore, give specific proposals. Using the word 'powerful' only stokes confusion. They must highlight the roles they want vested in each position. Only then can the debate take a thought-provoking, informative trajectory.
The first Prime Minister of Kenya was the founding father Mzee Jomo Kenyatta in 1963. When Kenya became a Republic in 1964, the post of Prime Minister was done away with after Jomo Kenyatta assumed the position of President.
Following the hotly contested presidential election in 2007/08, a power-sharing agreement was reached in February 2008. This power-sharing deal between retired President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga saw the recreation of the post of Prime Minister in April the same year.
The position was again abolished following the promulgation of 2010 Constitution. Raila thus remains the second Prime Minister Kenya has ever had.