Nairobi, KENYA:Tiaty Member of Parliament Kassait Kamket has defended his proposed bill saying that its implementation will not be costly.
Appearing before the Budget and Appropriations Committee chaired by Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wa to look into the implication of the proposal, Kamket said that the bill if passed will reduce the political tension in the country and contribute to its stability.
“But if you look at the cost of demonstration ,cost of buying teargas ,look at the cost of demonstration ,if you look at the cost of keeping policemen in the streets to safeguard, to take care of demonstrations, cost of trying to Shadow mheshimiwa Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka from taking the oath ,compare to the cost of keeping them in parliament so that they can help to keep the government in check,” Kamket said
He pleaded with the budget and appropriations committee to let the bill go through the first reading, saying that the bill is an opportunity for the country to reinvent itself.
“The debate on inclusivity and non-inclusivity and the debate about all other matters, are the issues we need to talk about and other matters, and there is no other way other than this committee, allowing this bill to go through, then moving forward we move the debate ,this is an opportunity we are giving ourselves as Kenyans to reinvent ourselves .”He said
In his bill, the Tiaty MP Kassait Kamket wants to amend the Constitution and create the position of Prime Minister, whereby the PM will have executive powers and be the leader of government business.
The former Baringo County Assembly Speaker also proposes that the President should have ceremonial powers serving a single seven-year term.
According to the Bill, the President is to be elected in a joint sitting of Parliament convened on the first Thursday of December every seventh year.
The Bill notes that the President should not hold any elective or appointive office with political parties.
The Bill also proposes that the Deputy President post should be scrapped.
Kamket also proposes a deletion of Article 132 of the Constitution that seeks to reduce the functions of the President.
“It is proposed that a candidate for election as President has attained the age of 50 years and he or she should not hold any political party post,” the Bill reads in part.
