Senator Cherargei: Why We Don't Need to Hold Elections Regularly

Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has claimed that the country does not need to hold elections regularly because the exercise is expensive.

In a statement on Monday, October 28, Cherargei asserted that the last general elections cost the country over Ksh35 billion, making it one of the most expensive election exercises globally.

The lawmaker claimed that the funds allocated for holding regular elections can be diverted to other development projects in the country.

"Kenyans, are you aware that in the 2022 general elections, Ksh35.8 billion, which translates to Ksh2000 per voter, was used with an outstanding pending bill of Ksh2.05 billion by IEBC? This is the most expensive election cost in the world.

"That's why we don't need to hold elections regularly because these monies can be used for the development projects across the country," Cherargei remarked.

According to the 2022 pre-election economic and fiscal report by the National Treasury, the 2022 general elections had been allocated Ksh44 billion.

Meanwhile, Cherargei's remarks come after he sponsored a bill that seeks to extend the presidential and other elected leaders' term limits from five to seven years.

The bill has elicited mixed reactions among Kenyans and elected leaders, with many opposing it.

Recently, President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party condemned the proposal and distanced itself from the bill.

On Wednesday last week, National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah dismissed the proposal and claimed that it was 'dead' on arrival.

"That Cherargei legislative proposal on term limits is dead on arrival, period. He should save his own time, that of other Senators and taxpayers money," Ichung'wah remarked.