Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party has come out to express its stand on the ongoing debate regarding the extension of presidential and elected members’ term limit from the current five years to seven.
Through its chairpersons from the 47 counties, the party said on Wednesday that it was not in support of the proposed Constitutional Amendment Bill 2024 by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei .
The party joins President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party which has also distanced itself from the bill, which is being moved by one of its members.
In a meeting attended by the party national chairperson Gladys Wanga, the party instead urged its lawmakers to ensure that there are no claw-backs to devolution and to resist any attempt to reduce shareable revenues to counties.
“The leaders have resolved to oppose the proposed amendments to the Constitution to extend the terms of the elected leaders from five years to seven years and called on the ODM MPs to shoot down the said proposals in the Parliament,” the statement read by Nyandarua ODM Chairperson Dickson Manyara says.
Mr Cherargei said he is moving the bill as a private member and has nothing to do with the UDA party following criticism from a section of MPs and Kenyans.
Mr Cherargei claimed that the country usually spends up to Sh35 billion to hold election every five years, which would be cut if General Election would be held after seven years.
“That's why we don't need to hold elections regularly because these monies can be used for the development projects across the country,” Senator Cherargei claimed.
ODM party leaders, including the national chairperson and Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna, said the purpose of the meeting was to address the issues related to the party and how to strengthen ODM ahead of the 2027 election.
The chairpersons stated that they were deliberating on the party grassroots elections which the national executive committee scheduled for November.
“The board will be releasing a formal schedule of the exercise across the country on or before November 4.”
Further, the party said that the grassroots election which had been planned to take place in Kwale on November 4 has been rescheduled to a date that will be communicated.
Also, the party chairpersons have called for unity in the party and the need to support all the party officials including those who were tapped to serve in the government.
“The chairs reiterated the need to retain the identity and the ideology of the party as an independent opposition political party founded on the values of social democracy.”
ODM Nairobi branch chairperson George Aladwa said that the party has resolved to hold such meetings in the ground level in order to interact with the party members as one of the plans to strengthen the party following the exit of its founder Raila Odinga, who is now eyeing for the African Union Commission chairperson position.
