Nairobi City lawyer Wahome Thuku has hit out at businessman Narendra Raval for suggesting that President William Ruto should rule for at least 25 years.
The business mogul made the remarks on Monday, April 8, 2024, when he accompanied the president, who commissioned the Cemtech Limited clinker plant in West Pokot, owned by Devki Group.
While criticizing the businessman for his remarks, which are deemed unconstitutional, Thuku sarcastically said an amendment could be passed to allow such a provision.
“Good morning, Mzee Narendra Raval (Devic). It’s possible to make William Samoei Ruto a life president, not just a 25-year one as you suggested.
“It would only require amendments to several articles of our constitution through a referendum. It’s possible. All we would demand as well is for the Amendment Bill to read that ‘the amendment shall apply to all persons whose term in office lapsed pursuant to the Articles hereby amended’.
“Something like that with that, Uhuru Kenyatta would automatically qualify to run for that ‘life position’ and it would be him vs William head-to-head,” the lawyer posted on his X account.
Naval claimed that the country would change for the better if Ruto remains president beyond the 10-year term permitted by the constitution.
“He loves this country so much that I have no worries about saying thank you to him. May God give him 100 years of life. I wish that we have this president for at least 25 years, hii nchi itabadilika,” the businessman said.
Constitutional provision
Currently, the 2010 Constitution allows a president to serve for a two-term limit which does not exceed 10 years.
Through Chapter 142, the constitution provides that ‘The President shall hold office for a term beginning on the date on which the President was sworn in and ending when the person next elected President in accordance with Article 136(2)(a) is sworn in.
“(2) A person shall not hold office as President for more than two terms.”
Since 1992, Kenyan presidents have run their tenures under limited terms after the repeal of Section 2A, which paved the way for multiparty democracy.
Although he had been in power since 1978, President Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi ran under the new law, and his two-year term ended in 2002.
Mwai Kibaki succeeded Moi, and his term ended in 2012 before Uhuru Kenyatta assumed power and left in 2022.
Just like his predecessors, Ruto is expected to leave in 2032, should he get re-elected in the next general election set for 2027.
