President Ruto Breaks His Silence on Plans to Remove the Presidential Term Limit

President Ruto has weighed in on the debate to amend the Constitution to scrap the two-term presidential limit and replace it with an age limit of 75 years.

Speaking on Wednesday at State House, Nairobi, where he chaired a Kenya Kwanza Alliance Parliamentary Group meeting, Ruto urged MPs not to waste their time on such a proposal, terming it selfish.

“Do not spend your time pushing for selfish and self-serving legislation, like changing the Constitution to remove term limits…. my focus is service to the people,” the president stated.

Last week, Fafi MP Salah Yakub stirred a storm after announcing that he and some other UDA MPs were working on a constitutional amendment bill to scrap the two-term presidential limit, arguing that it denies performing leaders an opportunity to further develop the country.

"I, together with some of my fellow MPs, are planning to push a Bill in Parliament that contests the two terms of serving as president," he said. 

"We also want that no one should contest for the presidency once they are 75 years old. The terms of the presidency should not be limited to two terms, three terms, or even four. If the president is doing a good job he should extend his term," he added.

The UDA MP said the country cannot afford to repeat the same mistake it did in the past when it allowed former President Mwai Kibaki to leave office yet he was a progressive leader.

"He left office without accomplishing all his programs because of the Constitution which allowed him to serve for only two terms," he said.

 The UDA party, which is headed by President Ruto, distanced itself from the proposal by MP Yakub, terming it “a product of a fertile imagination by the legislator.”

“The Party has not been part of discussions in regard to term limits. The party is busy implementing The Plan and will not be part of sideshows,” UDA said.