A section of Senators now wants constitutional changes to hand the House more powers.

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The lawmakers seek to use the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) initiative to push for the elevation of the Senate to the Upper House, a position currently held by the National Assembly.

Led by Siaya Senator James Orengo, the 13 senators on Monday demanded veto powers to enable the house, which they say is currently 'lame', to have its own stand.

“The Senate has not been able to play its role within the constitutional arrangement. We have come to a consensus that you do not need to have the Senate if those powers are not going to be shared with the National Assembly. We either have it or not,” he said in a press briefing in Nairobi.

The leaders want a reverse of the current setup where bills approved in the House must pass through the National Assembly and want to have the final say instead.

In concurrence, Nyandarua Senator Paul Githiomi said that the country is better off with no Senate than a weak one, arguing that the National Assembly cannot be over it.

"Like in the world over, we should be an Upper House. It is either we have a Senate with veto powers or no Senate at all. But with devolution today, I don’t know how we will do away with the Senate," he maintained.

In attendance for the briefing were Ochillo Ayako (Migori), Fred Outa (Kisumu), Ephraim Maina (Nyeri) Kimani Wamatangi (Kiambu).

Others were nominated senators Rose Nyamunga, Gertrude Masuruve, Beth Mugo and Agnes Zani.