MPs have hatched a plot to stop the Punguza Mizigo referendum bill should it go past the county assemblies stage, it has emerged.
The MPs have taken issue with Thirdway Alliance party leader Dr Ekuru Aukot's sponsored push on grounds that it seeks to reduce their numbers from the current 416 to 147, with the plan now being to ensure that it never succeeds.
Therefore, the plan is to stall the bill using article 257 of the constitution, which allows them to repeatedly postpone its tabling on the floor of the house and put it on the shelves until 2022.
This was revealed by National Assembly Minority Leader John Mbadi, who on Thursday said that the bill remains unpopular with the MPs, and they can decide to ensure that it's not debated until Parliament's term elapses.
“This Bill is very unpopular with MPs of both Houses. We may decide not to make any decision on it and delay it as much as we can,” he told the Standard.
His remarks were echoed by Makueni MP Dan Maanzo and Minority Whip Junet Mohammed, both of whom also predicted doom for the same.
Maanzo said that Parliament can hold the bill at ransom since it's under no pressure from the law to discuss it, while Junet noted that the house has better issues to deal with.
“Parliament has so many Bills to deal with and Punguza Mizigo is not one of them. Thirdway Alliance will have to wait to have an MP to push its agenda,” said the Suna East MP.
The bill also seeks to tamper with the presidential term limit and is proposing the introduction of a seven-year single presidential term.
Its also being fought by opposition forces allied to Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga, who wants a separate referendum to expand the executive.