This archive report was first published on 19 June 2020.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has reaffirmed his commitment to respecting the Constitution's two-term limit, dismissing speculation that he might seek to extend his tenure beyond 2022.
Speaking in a video interview with a US-based think-tank, the President emphasized that Kenyans are certain about the two-term limit, and he has no intention of breaking this precedent.
“I can tell you that if there is one thing Kenyans are certain about, it is the two-term limit,” Mr Kenyatta stated. “No president has broken that, and I don’t intend to be the first.”
Mr Kenyatta's comments come as Russian President Vladimir Putin pushes for a constitutional change that would allow him to dispense with term limits and remain in power until 2036.
On other issues, President Kenyatta emphasized the importance of unity and inclusivity, urging countries not to be sucked back into isolationism and unilateralism in the face of global challenges such as the coronavirus pandemic.
“We need each other today more than we ever did. We’re not going to fight corona if one country succeeds and another fails,” he said.
He also declared that Kenya is open to doing business with the world, without favoring any particular country or region.
On trade agreements, President Kenyatta said that Kenya and the US are seeking a “win-win” outcome in their bilateral trade negotiations, with both sides looking to benefit from the deal.
He also assured that a Kenya-US trade deal will not contradict or undermine the Africa-wide free-trade arrangement established in 2018.
Mr Kenyatta also touched on debt extension for African countries, saying that Kenya and other lower-middle-income countries are asking for “fiscal space” rather than debt forgiveness.
He also announced that Kenya will consider adopting policing reforms highlighted by the worldwide Black Lives Matter protests, with the country already starting to develop a new curriculum to improve police training.
