Francis Wambugu Irungu A section of Kirinyaga elders has unveiled a raft of proposals they believe could help eradicate deeply entrenched corruption in the country, if adopted.
Addressing the press on Saturday, the elders called for a review of the 2010 Constitution to strengthen governance by integrating African leadership values into the country’s political system, arguing that certain constitutional offices should be restructured to enhance accountability and oversight.
Central to their proposal is the transformation of the Senate into a National Council of Elders, envisioned as the country’s highest oversight institution. The group’s coordinator, Henry Gachuma, said that while the 2010 Constitution remains a progressive document, it has shortcomings that could be addressed by weaving in African cultural principles of leadership.
Gachuma, a retired teacher, proposed that Senate candidates be eminent Kenyans aged 60 and above with no history of corruption, who are retired, unaffiliated with any political party, and ineligible for a pension upon assuming office. He said aspiring candidates should apply through their county assemblies at least four months before a general election, where MCAs, themselves required to be 35 or younger, university graduates, and of high moral standing, would vet applicants. Candidates endorsed by at least two-thirds of MCAs would receive County Elder Certificates allowing them to contest.
He said senators elected under this system would sit in the Upper House with powers to summon and question a sitting President, assess a President’s fitness for a second term, and initiate impeachment proceedings against the President, governors, and other senior state officers, with the Judiciary handling any resulting corruption cases.
The elders also proposed giving senators a central role in electing governors, through County Councils of Elders (Baraza la Wazee) formed four months before elections. Each council would comprise three members per ward, including at least one woman, all aged 60 and above, with gubernatorial aspirants requiring the backing of two-thirds of the council to qualify.
On the presidency, Gachuma proposed that county assemblies vet presidential aspirants’ conduct four months ahead of elections, forwarding candidates who secure two-thirds MCA approval to the Senate for further scrutiny, narrowing the field to four presidential candidates. He further suggested MCAs be empowered to impeach MPs, Women Representatives and Senators found guilty of misconduct.
Defending the proposals, Gachuma said accountability at the top would trickle down to all sectors, including the private sector. “Rot starts from the head. If we want to cure the whole body, we must first find medicine for the head,” he said, adding that traditional African leadership systems once enforced discipline effectively and should inform modern governance.
Retired information officer John Irungu backed the proposals, saying they would strengthen transparency and checks and balances, while elder Charles Nderitu endorsed the pension exclusion for council members, saying it would keep their focus solely on safeguarding the country’s wellbeing.
