Professor Peter Kagwanja says ODM leader Raila Odinga is pushing for constitutional changes as a means to remain relevant in Kenya’s political scene.
He compares Raila’s quest for a referendum to a holy grail.
"A referendum has become to Raila Odinga what the Holy Grail is to the Church. Before 2013, he backed a pure presidential system as necessary to enforce “reforms.” But on July 7, 2014, in the wake of the abortive Saba Saba “Kenyan Spring”, he launched the Okoa Kenya movement to amend the constitution ahead of the 2017 election. The referendum initiative collapsed, but laid the ground for the fierce power tussles that marred the 2017 elections,” Kagwanja wrote in the Sunday Nation.
The political pundit said the reason as to why the opposition leader has revived calls for a constitutional change is to prepare the way for his fifth presidential run.
“The former Premier is pushing for the referendum close to the 2022 election to serve as a dry run for his fifth presidential bid — or a chance to reshape a post-Jubilee arrangement if he opts to be a kingmaker," he said.
A third reason as to why Raila is hellbent for a constitutional change, according to the analyst, is that the NASA co-principal is aging and his health deteriorating and would be a lame-duck president if he won in 2022.
As such, Raila is would be comfortable with a watered-down presidency.