This archive report was first published on 15 July 2019.
On November 1, 2017, the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) urged the government to reintroduce the office of the official opposition leader through an Act of Parliament or a referendum.
NCCK Secretary General Peter Karanja proposed that the position of the opposition leader would be occupied by nominees of the political party or coalition that meets a set criterion, who may be the presidential candidate and running mate who obtained the second highest number of votes in a presidential election.
According to Karanja, the prime minister and his deputies would sit in the Cabinet and may answer questions in Parliament. He emphasized that this would be an expanded executive of the winning party.
The proposal comes after Thirdway Alliance Presidential candidate Ekuru Aukot claimed to be the official opposition leader following the repeat presidential polls held on October 26.
However, many Kenyans disapproved of Aukot's claim, questioning how he could be the official opposition leader with no single party representation in the National Assembly.
The NCCK's call for the reintroduction of the office of the official opposition leader aims to promote inclusivity in the government and hold the government accountable.
