Moses Kuria Backs Mudavadi Proposal for 2027 Constitutional Referendum

Former presidential adviser Moses Kuria has endorsed Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi’s proposal to hold a constitutional referendum alongside the 2027 General Election, saying key governance issues require formal constitutional changes.

Speaking on Wednesday, Kuria said Kenya has repeatedly avoided difficult constitutional questions by relying on political agreements that offer short-term stability but leave underlying problems unresolved. He argued that such arrangements fail to address structural weaknesses in governance and allow the same disputes to re-emerge over time.

Kuria supported Mudavadi’s suggestion that the referendum be treated as an additional ballot in 2027, enabling voters to decide on proposed constitutional amendments while electing national and local leaders. He said the 2010 Constitution, despite its strengths, should be reviewed based on more than a decade of practical experience.

According to Kuria, reforms should be pursued through open and lawful processes rather than informal political deals. He criticised past reliance on negotiated settlements, including political handshakes and dialogue forums, describing them as temporary solutions that avoid meaningful reform. Kuria said continued dependence on such approaches has delayed necessary constitutional changes and created unrealistic expectations about governance outcomes.

The former adviser also said he had previously discussed the idea of a referendum with opposition leader Raila Odinga and claimed they had agreed to jointly support constitutional reform. He noted that he has advocated for constitutional review since 2016, reflecting long-standing debates over the structure and operation of Kenya’s political system.

Mudavadi, speaking in an end-of-year interview, said holding a referendum alongside the General Election would be a practical way to resolve contentious constitutional matters that have proven difficult to settle through Parliament or the courts. He suggested that proposed amendments could be consolidated into a limited number of questions and managed by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.

The Prime Cabinet Secretary rejected concerns that adding referendum questions would overburden voters, saying Kenyans are already accustomed to voting for multiple positions in a single election. He proposed that public discussions on the reforms begin in 2026 to allow sufficient time for debate and public understanding.