This archive report was first published on 24 August 2020.
As Kenya marks 10 years since the promulgation of the current Constitution, ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi has urged the government to prioritize restoring the economy over amending the constitution.
Speaking in an interview with Citizen TV on Sunday, Mudavadi emphasized that Kenyans' priority now is to retaliate the current economy worsened by the novel coronavirus.
“The country is reeling from the huge damage caused by COVID-19… We must make sure our priorities are right. Should we be thinking about amending the Constitution or how we are going to create jobs for thousands who have been laid off and continue to be laid off because companies are shutting down?” Mudavadi said.
Mudavadi's appeal comes barely two weeks after ODM chief Raila Odinga urged Kenyans to prepare for a referendum before the next general election, hinting that the exercise would cost about Ksh. 2 billion.
However, Mudavadi faulted Raila's timing as the wrong one at the time Kenya is already strained by the pandemic; Kenyans are struggling to get food and the health care systems are already strained.
“The US and Tanzania are having elections because it is a constitutional deadline. Our deadline for an election is 2022 not 2020. President Uhuru’s term is ending in 2022. So between now and then, where is the crisis; lack of medicine, stolen medicine, young men and women who have lost jobs, KRA has reported it won't meet its target,” said Mudavadi.
He said that Kenya's should not be cheated that referendum will solve their problems at the moment.
“Why are we making Kenyans believe that amending the Constitution is going to be the alpha and omega in our current situation. It is not. What is critical is faithful implementation of the Constitution right now then focus on dealing with the economy,” added Mudavadi.
