Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.

UDA Distances Itself From Controversial MP Remarks Over Presidential Term Extension

Joy Waweru | 1 year ago
Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto during the swearing in of President Ruto in August 2022 Image:courtesy
Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto during the swearing in of President Ruto in August 2022 Image:courtesy

UPDATE: The UDA party has disowned the remarks by Fafi MP Salah Yakub on proposed legislation to extend the presidential term. The United Democratic Party has dismissed the remarks and termed them a  product of a fertile imagination by the legislator.

"The party has not been part of discussions in regard to term limits. The party is busy implementing The Plan and will not be part of sideshows," stated the UDA party through their social media platforms.



A United Democratic Party Alliance lawmaker Salah Yakub has revealed plans by the current government to scrap the presidential term limit from the constitutional two-five-year terms through a constitutional amendment Bill.

“We want to tell Kenyans that the limit on two terms should be relooked. We want it to be changed to an age limit where one gets to 75 years then he or she cannot contest,” said Yakub in Garissa during relief food distribution.

“We will come up with an amendment Bill to try to change this because we want the requirement to be on age limit and not on terms. If a president is doing a good job, then he or she should not be limited by the terms,” he added.

Salah Yakub divulged that there have been confidential closed-door meetings to discuss the proposal but withheld the names of the lawmakers pushing the agenda.

The MPs want to change the two-term limit and instead institute an age cap of 75 years.

This move could see president Ruto who is currently 55years stay in power for 20 years.

Salah Yakub stated that the process was well advanced and the remaining bit was to draft the constitutional amendment Bill and forward it to parliament.


Activists and opposition leaders have opposed the move terming it unconstitutional and illegal.

The two-term limit was effected following the repeal of section 2A of the old constitution.

“Any attempt to change the constitution to make Ruto president for life will fail miserably,” stated activist Boniface Mwangi.

“This madness of Kenya Kwanza will come to an end very soon. They are talking about many things but once their minds settle, they will realize that they have work to do and stop all this monkey business they have been taking the country through in the last two months,” Minority whip Junet Mohammed said.

For such a proposal to be passed into law It will require a two-thirds majority in parliament to support the motion and a majority vote from Kenyans through a referendum.

During his campaigns and swearing-in ceremony,President Ruto promised to obey the constitution and uphold the rule of law.



Related Stories