In a TV interview on Wednesday, trade unionist Francis Atwoli expressed the view that term limits should be abolished in order to curb the tendency for politicking immediately after elections. He argued that the restrictions on presidential terms were contributing to the political challenges facing the country, as they lead individuals to begin planning their campaigns long before elections, resulting in constant political maneuvering.
“If you asked me as Francis Atwoli, I would say let’s remove term limits. Why? Because this is what’s causing our problems. People start planning for the presidency a decade ahead,” he said in the interview with JKL.
Atwoli further observed that countries where term limits have been removed tend to experience greater political stability, allowing leaders to focus on long-term development. He cited Uganda as an example, noting that Ugandans are not faced with the same kind of political tension seen in Kenya. “Have Ugandans faced the same problems we have? Politics has become an industry here, with campaigns running day and night, because everyone knows when a president’s term is almost up,” Atwoli remarked.
He also pointed out that in European countries with monarchies, political stability is less of an issue, as these countries respect their traditions and laws. However, he criticized Western nations for advocating term limits in African countries, questioning why they impose five-year election cycles when they themselves do not face similar constraints.
Atwoli’s comments came just weeks after he called for a review of the Kenyan Constitution of 2010. He argued that President Ruto has many challenges ahead, with the most significant being the need for constitutional reform. Atwoli emphasized that while the president may have important national projects, the current constitution allows individuals to block such initiatives through the courts, even if they are beneficial.
“The biggest challenge is to change the Constitution of Kenya,” Atwoli stated. “The President may want to push a national project, but people rush to court and stop it, even when it’s a good project for the country.”
Atwoli warned that under the current constitutional framework, it was possible that President Ruto could end his term without implementing significant projects for the people. “We will support you, but the first thing we need to do is change the constitution. Without that, people will keep blocking your initiatives,” he concluded.
