PLO Lumumba Announces Plans To Collect Signatures To Amend Constitution: "We've Calendar Of Events"

• Constitutional lawyer PLO Lumumba said the time has come for Kenyans to revisit the 2010 Constitution
• Lumumba and other scholars have lined up a series of events to ignite the amendment of the constitution through a popular initiative
• The group will soon launch the signature collection drive, targeting a minimum of 1 million signatures

Nairobi - A group of Kenyans led by constitutional lawyer PLO Lumumba have announced plans to kick-start the process of amending the 2010 Constitution through a popular initiative.

What are the areas PLO Lumumba wants amended

During a press briefing on Sunday, August 27, Lumumba announced that the group championing the reforms will soon launch the signature collection drive.

According to Lumumba, they intend to collect 1 million signatures from people across the country in order to ignite the constitutional amendment process.

"We are saying that on a day to be announced, we shall commence the process of collection of signatures around the country, which are to be a minimum of 1 million, in order to ignite the process of a popular initiative. In that endeavour. We shall do our very best. We will have people who will support us, and we will have people who will support us," PLO said.

The scholars raised pertinent issues regarding the executive, devolution, independent constitutional commissions, and Parliament structure.

Regarding the executive, the group argued that there is a need to review the laws to accommodate the illegal offices created or to nullify them.

The positions that have caused division include the Prime Cabinet Secretary (PCS), occupied by Musalia Mudavadi, and Chief Cabinet Secretary (CAS), which are not enshrined in the Constitution.

"We have seen the creation of an office called PCS. It is not directly mentioned in the Constitution. We have seen the creation of CAS and we are saying the time is now to examine our executive and satisfy ourselves that it is something that can take us forward," he added.

This will be the fourth attempt to review the constitution which some scholars have described as progressive.

Raila calls for constitutional amendment

Elsewhere, opposition leader Raila Odinga restated his resolve to push for the annulment of the 'winner takes it all' model that has defined Kenyan politics since independence.

Raila wants the constitution reviewed to eradicate the "monopoly of power" enjoyed by the party in state house; this, he says, signifies a governance gap that has not augured well for the country since independence.

He wants the above question addressed through the bi-partisan approach proposed by President William Ruto.

If that and all the others raised earlier, including electoral justice and cost of living, are not addressed, he would return to the streets for anti-government protests.