Ruto allies reject Raila demand for referendum on implementation of bipartisan report
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Ruto allies term Raila demand or referendum on implementation of bipartisan report as unsustainable burden on taxpayers
Ruto allies term Raila demand or referendum on implementation of bipartisan report as unsustainable burden on taxpayers.
President William Ruto’s allies rejected a demand for a referendum by Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party leader Raila Odinga to seek Kenyans’ input on creating the Office of Leader of Opposition and Prime Cabinet Secretary.
This comes after on Wednesday Raila said that Kenyans must have their say regarding a proposal to establish the offices of the prime minister and the leader of the opposition.
“Besides it is a constitutional requirement that such significant restructuring of government must go through a referendum to avoid the mischief that may be played by some people going to court,” he added.
“It is also our stand that this country cannot continue moving forward by being undecided. We have to agree whether we want a parliamentary, presidential system or hybrid.”
However, politicians allied to Ruto administration have opposed the proposal for a referendum terming it an unsustainable burden on taxpayers.
United Democratic Alliance (UDA) secretary-general Cleophas Malala said no referendum would occur during Ruto’s first term in office.
“We are not scared of anything, but we are telling the Opposition that we are not taking that route,” Malala said. Malala insisted that Ruto won’t allow Raila to take the country into another circus similar to the failed Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).
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Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, an ally of Ruto also poured cold water on the referendum calls, saying it will interfere with the government’s programmes.
“It’s the wrong time to talk about those things now. For some of the issues they have proposed to actualized, they need a referendum and we cannot subject Kenya to a contest,” Nyoro said.
Nyoro reflected on the 2002 election, the referendum of 2005 and other elections that followed, saying the heightened political activities slowed down Kenya’s economy.
Tigania West MP John Mutunga also opposed calls for a referendum saying a plebiscite will be costly to Kenyans.
“Kenya Kwanza considers referendum as one of the options but bearing in mind our situation, the referendum will be very expensive for us economically, yet we are talking about the cost of living,” he said.
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