Deputy President William Ruto has rubbished a proposed draft Bill seeking to weaken the President and create the position of a powerful Prime Minister.
Ruto said the country is at the moment focused on development and not politics.
“We should think about development and not changing the Constitution to create positions, politics should come later,” said Ruto on Saturday according to Daily Nation.
He was talking in reference to a radical Bill proposed by Tiaty MP Kassait Kamket seeking having the president as a Ceremonial Head of State and a symbol of national unity.
The Bill proposes to create a powerful Prime Minster with two deputies. It seeks to abolish the Executive Office of the Deputy President and replace it with the PM’s office. The PM will be the head of government and has the power to hire and hire Cabinet Secretaries and ambassadors.
“As a consequence of the proposed amendment, the President shall retain ceremonial powers as Head of State without any need for the position of Deputy President,” states part of the Bill.
The Bill proposes a fixed single term of seven years for the President. This also extends to Cabinet Secretaries who will be picked from members of Parliament.
Ruto said the engaging in discussions about the Bill is a waste of time.
“Leaders, the citizens have done their bit, engaging in tiring campaigns and electing us last year. The remaining time is not for wandering around, with debates on changing the Constitution so that certain people can get positions.
“Let us focus our minds on transformation of the country, building roads, hospitals and other helpful developments. Not debates and discussions on power sharing and changing this or that…We cannot engage in politics from January to January, from one election to another.”
Kamket says the Bill will address issues that have fuelled secession talks in the country.
“I want the parliamentary system back because the presidential system is too restrictive and does not open the democratic space. We want the Executive to be held directly accountable because now it is far removed from Parliament and MPs are speaking to themselves. I want ministers to come from Parliament because, currently, we have foreigners as Cabinet Secretaries,” said Kamket.