A referendum will be needed to implement NDC recommendations - experts

With the high cost of living still unresolved, and the report presented to both President William Ruto and Azimio leader Raila Odinga, experts hold that the committee disregarded pressing public issues and delved into solving political issues

“And what these good gentlemen and ladies are proposing is answering questions that have not been asked, they are interested in providing offices and funds for the political class. That is not what Kenyans asked for,” says Senior Counsel Abdikadir Mohamed.

Bob Mkangi, a constitutional lawyer, notes; “I thought that politicians as has been before, would use the voice of the people to create an excuse, to sit and talk, and when they talk, they talk about their own things and leave mwananchi, and that is what we are seeing now.”

Among the areas the parties agreed on include the creation of the office of the leader of the opposition with two deputies, entrenching the Prime Cabinet Secretary’s position in the Constitution, the Senate Oversight Fund, the Ward Development Fund, and the NG-CDF.

Both Mkangi and Abdikadir who were instrumental in the constitution-making process say the proposals will alter the structure of governance at the moment and will need consent from the people.

“It is not workable, unless you change the architecture of our constitution, having a Prime Minister and Leader of Opposition makes no sense. And they are going to create instability which is not what we asked for. We have a stable Constitution, and we have an economic crisis, let us deal with the economic crisis,” says Mohamed.

Mkangi adds: “If the proposals will be engineered in furtherance, the ultimate decider must be the Kenyan citizen, the Kenyan voter who must make the decision at the ballot.”

The committee’s report has led to a split in the opposition Azimio camp, while the government expressed support, calling for its urgent implementation. Azimio leader Raila Odinga has promised to issue a statement on the recommendations on Thursday.