Lawmaker Gabriel Gakombe unveils bill to deny Uhuru, Raila retirement benefits
By Mercy SimiyuA lawmaker has announced plans to introduce a motion in Parliament that will, if successful, deny former president Uhuru Kenyatta an opportunity to receive his retirement perks.
Besides Mr Kenyatta, the motion by Gatundu South lawmaker Gabriel Gakombe seeks to compel the government, through the National Assembly, to terminate retirement benefits for the retired prime minister and 10th vice president.
The notice of motion is titled ‘Termination of Retirement Benefits for Immediate Retired President, Retired Prime Minister and the 10th Vice President’.
Incidentally, Azimio leader Raila Odinga is a former prime minister while Kalonzo Musyoka is the former president.
The duo, alongside Mr Kenyatta, are President William Ruto’s political rivals stemming from the fallout occasioned by the August 2022 polls.
President Ruto and his allies have consistently accused Mr Kenyatta of engaging in active politics despite his retirement after serving two terms are Head of State.
Further, President Ruto’s allies have accused Mr Kenyatta of funding the recent anti-government protests spearheaded by Mr. Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka, Martha Karua, and Eugene Wamalwa.
The President Retirement Benefits Act states a retired president should stay away from politicking six months after his retirement.
It states: “A retired president shall not hold office in any political party for more than six months after ceasing to hold the office as president.”
The Act also states that a ‘retired president is expected to play a consultative and advisory role to the Government and the People of Kenya’ and that he ‘may be requested by the government to perform special official functions and shall be paid a reasonable allowance in respect of such official functions’.
Mr Kenyatta has been seen to be engaging in acting politics since handing over power to President Ruto in September 2023.
He openly referred to Mr Odinga as his party leader during former Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha’s burial in Siaya and later stormed the Jubilee party offices in Nairobi and advised those not content with how the political outfit is being managed to ship out.
Besides politicking, Mr Kenyatta has also actively been involved in peace talks in Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The notice of motion comes at a time study conducted by Trends and Insights for Africa (TIFA) indicated 59 percent of Kenyans want the former president to quit active politics and enjoy his retirement while 36 percent want the former President to stay politically active and support politicians and policies that he agrees with.
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