Kenyans Must Rise Up Against The Betrayal Of Our Democracy By The Greedy Politicians

The Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2024, as presented in the Senate poster, represents a clear and direct threat to the democratic ideals that Kenyans have fought for over the decades. It is an audacious attempt by the political class to entrench themselves in power under the guise of constitutional amendments. Let us be clear: this bill is nothing but a calculated move to extend their grip on power, loot public resources, and continue the systemic destruction of Kenya through tribalism and abuse of office. Every Kenyan must see this bill for what it truly is—a betrayal of our democratic spirit—and reject it with the full force of our will.

The proposal to extend the term of office of Members of Parliament and County Assemblies from five to seven years is not only an insult to the intelligence of Kenyans but also a blatant attempt to deny us our right to hold these leaders accountable through regular elections. These individuals have already proven themselves incapable of delivering on their promises. What makes them believe they deserve an additional two years of our time and resources? Why should we suffer their incompetence and greed for longer? Kenyans must rise and shout: NO to this term extension! It is not about extending time for service but about extending time for theft, nepotism, and plundering our future.

Read Also: Article 58 Of The Constitution Of Kenya: State Of Emergency

The extension of the presidential term from five to seven years is even more sinister. It is a direct attempt by William Ruto and his cronies to cement their power. Do they think we are blind? Do they think Kenyans are fools? This bill is not about improving governance. It is about giving Ruto and his circle more time to loot and protect their ill-gotten wealth. Ruto’s administration has already shown us that it prioritizes personal enrichment over the welfare of Kenyans. Extending the presidential term will only give him more time to entrench corruption, tribalism, and economic mismanagement. What has Ruto done in the five years to warrant more time in power? Let us be serious. Nothing but empty promises and relentless pillaging of public resources. And now, he wants seven years to cement his dynasty? Kenyans, wake up!

Creating the office of a Prime Minister, who is appointed by the president, is another step towards authoritarianism. This is nothing but a backdoor entry into a pseudo-dictatorship, where the president holds absolute power, now with a puppet prime minister to do their bidding. It reeks of the same old political maneuvering that we’ve seen time and again: expanding the executive to please the political elite while the rest of us languish in poverty. This new office will not serve the people but will only create more room for power-hungry politicians to gorge themselves on the spoils of government. And for what? So they can continue to steal from us while pretending to govern? No, Kenyans cannot allow this farce to pass.

We must also question the motivation behind the provision to involve both the National Assembly and Senate in the approval of extensions of states of emergency. Are they preparing for something? Are they laying the groundwork for permanent emergency rule so they can suspend our rights and freedoms? This is a naked attempt to centralize power and silence dissent. They are afraid of us—the people. They fear that we will rise against their incompetence and greed. And so they craft these amendments to keep us in check, to give themselves the legal tools to suppress us. But we say: Enough is enough! We will not allow you to strip away our freedoms in the name of national emergencies that you create through your own failures in governance.

The proposed accountability mechanisms for public officers are nothing more than a smokescreen. Do they expect us to believe that after years of corruption, they now suddenly care about accountability? These are the