President Uhuru Kenyatta could have his term extended by an extra year should the proposal by Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission sail through, it has emerged.
Legally, Uhuru is supposed to handover in August 2022 or in November the same year should the country be subjected to another presidential run-off elections.
But a proposal by IEBC to Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) suggests that the country holds two elections, starting with counties then national elections.
IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati, in his submissions to the BBI team, which is collecting views with regard to key changes in the constitution for prosperity, last week said Governors, Senators and MCAs should hold elections separately from President, MPs and Women Representatives.
“We propose that Kenyans elect their governors, senators and members of the county assembly (MCAs) in what is to be called county elections. Then after a year, they elect President, MPs and Women Representatives,” Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati said.
“Our election system is that of first past the post (FPTP) also christened winner- takes-it-all. This system has been inherited from the colonial regime and is said to be the root cause of our highly-divisive elections," Chebukati said.
The proposal comes amid intensive early campaigns that have put President Uhuru Kenyatta's team at loggerheads with his deputy William Ruto, who he blames for early campaigns ahead of 2022 polls.
BBI was set by Uhuru and opposition leader Raila Odinga with the aim of collecting views on how unity can be achieved through key changes in Kenya's governance system.
Should the proposal go through in a referendum, Uhuru could hand over powers in September 2023, a year after the expiry of his term with another possible extension to NoveNovem I same year.