• Wiper proposes that President chairs Cabinet meetings while the Prime Minister presides over sub-committees of the Cabinet.
• The President, DP, PM, and Deputy PMs should serve for two five-year terms only.
Image: /DENNIS KAVISU
Wiper Party is rooting for an expanded executive in proposals to the Building Bridges Initiative task force.
Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka yesterday proposed the creation of the position of Prime Minister to be appointed by the President and subject to approval by Parliament.
The Prime Minister will “head supervision and coordination of government,” and will have two deputies, who shall be Cabinet ministers.
“The PM can only be dismissed by Parliament through a two-thirds majority both in the National Assembly and the Senate,” he stated.
Kalonzo, while making his presentation to the task force, said the PM would nominate the two deputies, who will be subject to approval by the President.
“The deputy prime minister can be dismissed from the Office by the President. The terms of Office of the President, Deputy President, Prime Minister, and Deputy Prime Ministers shall be for five years and for two terms only,” he added.
Kalonzo told the Senator Yusuf Haji-led team that the President would chair the Cabinet while the Prime Minister would preside over sub-committees of the Cabinet.
“Let us call a spade a spade. For there to be inclusivity, we must have an expanded executive. We must also make it hard for the Prime Minister to be fired,” he added.
ANC party leader Musalia Mudavadi, who made his presentation on Tuesday, also supported the position of a Prime Minister appointed by the President from the President’s party.
He, however, did not give the role of the premier but said his or her responsibilities must be clearly defined.
Kalonzo said the President would be head of state and government and would exercise authority over the country with the assistance of the Deputy President and Cabinet ministers.
The President would be the Commander-in-Chief and the chair of the National Security Council.
Kalonzo also proposed that parties with at least 20 seats in the National Assembly should qualify for government funding.
“We are third but we are not getting any financial support from the government. This is just not fair. We struggle to raise funds to run the party and pay staff,” he lamented.
In its presentation, Cotu also proposed the creation of a Prime Minister position with two deputies.
The umbrella workers' organisation, however, proposed that the Prime Minister should have executive powers and picked from the majority party in Parliament. The President should not have powers to fire the Prime Minister.
“His role will be to oversee and supervise the day-to-day running of government as cited in the Bomas Draft Constitution of Kenya 2004,” Cotu deputy secretary-general Benson Okwaro said.
It also called for the disbandment of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission with Okwaro claiming that the SRC had failed to ensure transparency and fairness while advising various public agencies.
“The commission has failed on its role to harmonise remuneration and benefits of state officers by becoming a stumbling block to fair labour practices such as independent negotiations between employees and trade unions,” he said.
He added that the commission, despite being an independent constitutional body, had become a government “lapdog” - hence interfering with its mandate.
Edited by R.Wamochie