- The lawmaker said Ruto was keen to address the issue of gender parity, specialised funds and government structure.
- Kenyans have accused him of reneging on a promise that changing the Constitution would not be a priority for his administration.
Nandi senator Samson Cherargei has defended President William Ruto’s push to amend sections of the 2010 Constitution.
Cherargei, a key ally of the President, said the Head of State is seeking to “cure 30 per cent of grey areas of the Constitution.”
He said Ruto was keen to address the issue of gender parity, specialised funds and government structure.
The lawmaker posted on social media that the President was not seeking a handshake with Azimio leader Raila Odinga or plotting to share the government with the Opposition.
The President has come under fire from some Opposition leaders for proposing amendments to the Constitution.
Kenyans have also accused him of reneging on a promise that changing the Constitution would not be a priority for his administration.
“Let us mature up and get serious. The President should get down to work and Raila should find something to do. Which Opposition office does Hillary or Trump occupy after losing,” political commentator Benji Ndolo said.
In a memorandum dated December 9, 2022, addressed to the Speakers of the Bicameral Parliament, Ruto proposed amendments to the Constitution enacted in 2010.
He has proposed the creation of an office of the official leader of the opposition, to cure what he says was a constitutional shortfall on the full post-election fate of the minority side.
To enhance Parliamentary oversight of the Executive, the President proposes amendments to the Parliamentary standing orders to facilitate the participation of Cabinet Secretaries or Chief Administrative Secretaries in Parliamentary proceedings, and enable them to respond to questions posed by Members of Parliament in their capacity as the people’s representatives and in the execution of their oversight roles.
And to resolve the long-standing stalemate on the implementation of the gender equity principle, Ruto wants Parliament to initiate amendments to the Constitution to establish a formula that will guide the computation of the gender ratio in the House.