Kiambu Senator Karungo Thang’wa Proposes Four-Year Term Limits for Elected Leaders

Kiambu Senator Karungo Thang’wa has proposed a new bill to reduce term limits for all elected leaders from the current five years to four years. Thang’wa rejected the ongoing push to extend the term limit for the President and other leaders to seven years. He argued that shortening the term to four years would make leaders more accountable and align Kenya with global practices, such as those in the United States.

Addressing journalists at Parliament Buildings in Nairobi on Wednesday, Thang’wa announced his intention to move a constitutional amendment bill. “It will enhance accountability, encourage political participation, give new leadership opportunities, provide prevention of power consolidation, adaptability in governance, and strengthen democratic norms. A 4-year term empowers Kenyans to hold their leaders accountable more frequently,” Thang’wa said. “Voters deserve the right to evaluate their representatives and make necessary changes based on performance. Shorter terms can invigorate the public’s interest in politics. When citizens know they can influence leadership decisions every four years, they are more likely to engage in the electoral process.”

He criticized the timing of the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2024, sponsored by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, which seeks to extend the term limit to seven years. Thang’wa suggested that the proposal was not in the public’s best interest and suspected it was meant to benefit leaders looking to cling to power.

“Kenyans are tired of having their leaders in power for long periods,” said Thang’wa. He questioned why Cherargei would sponsor such a bill at this time and implied that the senator might be a proxy for leaders who aim to extend their stay in office. “Let him know that Kenyans are totally against his push to extend term limits,” Thang’wa added.

Thang’wa asserted that the President, governors, senators, and MPs do not deserve an extension of their terms. He argued that Members of County Assembly (MCAs) should be allowed to serve longer since they are closest to the people.

He also criticized the push for term extensions, questioning how people who could not tolerate Gachagua for another three years could now contemplate extending the term limits for elected leaders. Thang’wa viewed this as an attempt to remain in power after losing popularity.

Moreover, Thang’wa claimed that the Cherargei Bill is part of a broader strategy to divert attention from pressing issues such as the country’s struggling economy and challenges in the health sector. He added that while Kenyans are being distracted by the impeachment process of Gachagua and debates over extending term limits, other critical decisions, like the approval of the housing levy, are being quietly implemented.

The Senate Justice, Legal Affairs, and Human Rights Committee is set to conduct public participation on Cherargei’s Bill this Friday. The committee has invited Kenyans to submit their memorandums in support of or opposition to the proposed law.

Currently, elected leaders in Kenya serve for five years, with the President and governors limited to two consecutive terms. Members of Parliament and MCAs can be re-elected for an unlimited number of terms. Cherargei’s proposed Bill aims to amend several articles of the Constitution, extending the terms of the President, governors, MPs, and MCAs to seven years. It also seeks to create the office of the Prime Minister, a position that would be appointed from Parliament, similar to past proposals in the National Dialogue Committee and the Building Bridges Initiative reports.