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She noted that during the campaigns, they were against BBI 1(Building Bridges Initiative) and extending the presidential term limit would not be an option.
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“The proposal is coming from two of our party members, but the President has distanced himself from that.”
Image: COURTESY
Marsabit MP Naomi Waqo has weighed in on the ongoing debate on the extension of the presidential term limit.
Speaking in an interview on K24 on Thursday, Waqo said she was confident that President William Ruto was not in favor of it.
"I can say without any fear of contradiction that the President is not in favor of it," she said.
She noted that during the campaigns, they were against BBI 1(Building Bridges Initiative) and extending the presidential term limit would not be an option.
“The proposal is coming from two of our party members, but the President has distanced himself from that,” she said.
Waqo insisted that the president will only go for a second term as they are ready to support his administration through the it.
"Let me tell you and I know very well the mind of our president, he's not for that and will not go beyond the five-year term that is put in the constitution.
"He will go for the second term because many of us are committed to supporting Kenya Kwanza government, he will go for ten years and after that, he will hand over to any person that Kenyans elect," she said.
She said that as Kenya Kwanza, they have assurance from the president that he is not interested in adding even just a single day in office after his time is over.
Extending presidential term limit
A proposal was fronted by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei seeking to extend the presidential term limit from the current five to seven years.
According to Senator Cherargei, five years in office is not sufficient for the running of government and forming a formidable team to implement the election manifesto.
If Cherargei's proposal is actualised, it then means that if one is elected president he or she would be in office for 7 years with the possibility of extension by another 7-year term.
The proposal however received backlash from various leaders and stakeholders with Ruto's party UDA also distancing itself from the matter.
In a statement, Secretary General Cleophas Malala said the proposal by the senator is not the position of the party or that of the President.
He said Ruto swore to abide by and protect the Constitution, which spells out the presidential term limit.