Lawyer Makau Mutua has agreed with former Attorney General Githu Muigai's sentiments regarding the reduction of elective seats in Kenya.
Through his X account, Mutua nodded at Muigai's remarks that Kenyans are over-represented and overburdened by their representatives.
According to Makau Mutua, the Senate should be abolished and counties merged. He said the number of National Assembly seats should be reduced to below 200 and the number of Ward representatives lowered.
"Prof Githu Muigai is right -Kenyans are over-represented and overburdened by their representatives. Let’s abolish the Senate, shrink the National Assembly to under 200, amalgamate counties, and drastically cut the number of MCAs," the lawyer stated in a social media post released on Friday.
Prof Githu Muigai is RIGHT — Kenyans are over-represented and overburdened by their representatives. Let’s ABOLISH the Senate, SHRINK the National Assembly to under 200, AMALGAMATE counties, and DRASTICALLY cut the number of MCAs.— Prof Makau Mutua (@makaumutua) September 28, 2023
Speaking while making his submissions before the National Dialogue Committee at the Bomas of Kenya on Thursday, September 28, 2023, Githu Muigai said political positions should be scaled down to reduce government expenditure.
"We have too many people in Parliament, we have too many constituencies and counties. They are costing us a lot of money. Reduce the constituencies to about 100 and have one man and one woman in each," he said.
He explained that the initial plan was to have only 14 counties when the Constitution was being drafted in 2004 at the Bomas of Kenya. However, the number would later jump to 41.
"They came up with a compromise of let's go to 41 counties," he said.
Further, Githu Muigai suggested that the two-thirds gender rule -which he termed the 'women empowerment rule' should be scrapped and, instead, a 50/50 representation be adopted by the government.
"There is a feeling amongst Kenyans that we have not done enough to justify this. We need more civic education on empowering women...empowering a community.
"We need to abolish the Woman Rep seat, we create two positions in the constituency. We will achieve 50 per cent, and it will be cheaper," he stated.
