Kennedy Mong’are: Ex-Senator proposes extension of parliament, Presidential term to 2024

Former Nyamira county senator and National Liberal Party leader Kennedy Mong’are says he is thinking of a proposal to extend the term of the 12th parliament by two years to help rebuild the ‘collapsed’ economy as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.



The senator says, in the present economic circumstances, it would be impossible for the country to have free and fair elections in 2022 hence the need for extension of the current political terms of office which are supposed to end in two years’ time.



Mong’are, who once served as chairman of the Senate County Public Accounts Committee, now says President Uhuru Kenyatta needs to form a government of national unity under a broader national coalition of all political parties so that the country can focus on the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and build the collapsing economy together.



“As things stand now, the economy of Kenya is in a bad shape, it has collapsed and this can’t allow the Country to conduct elections in 2022,” he told Kurunzi in Nyamira.



“The corona virus pandemic has stalled everything and by the time we recover from this disease, we will not be having a stable economy.



“Hospitality and agriculture which are the major income earners are now at their worst ever, how do one even think of an election without an economy.



“The bigger coalition will fight the pandemic and resuscitate the economy and fight corruption by ensuring smooth transition thereafter.”



The NLP leader, now back to legal practice after losing his seat in the 2017 polls, proposes that the public servants should, during the COVID-19 period, earn allowances instead of salaries but with a comprehensive health insurance cover.



“We are looking into reviving the economy and so any political appointee and a part from the legislators should be ready to work on allowances so as a lot of unnecessary spending will be cut.”



Mong’are also proposes the merger of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations as necessary reforms to bolster the fight against corruption in the country, noting that recent public ‘fights’ between the two offices was dangerous to efforts to end graft.