Why Mudavadi wants a referendum held alongside the 2027 General Election

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has proposed that the 2027 General Election be merged with a constitutional referendum.

Mudavadi explained that some constitutional issues can be canvassed into referendum questions and subjected to a vote by Kenyans, adding that if well structured under the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the process is manageable and progressive.

Just as it has previously happened in other instances, such as the nullification of a presidential election, he said merging the two exercises would not only set a precedent in Africa but would also be a successful process that attracts global recognition.

“We can use the 2027 election as the first example to have issues that have never been resolved well crafted into sensible referendum questions that will help amend our 2010 Constitution,” said Mudavadi in an interview.

According to him, the reason he is putting the debate in the public domain is to avoid constant arguments on issues that Parliament and the courts may not manage to resolve, adding that the voice of Kenyans must prevail.

“Kenyans should buy into this idea and we begin this discussion in 2026 ahead of the 2027 General Election. If you can vote for six people on one ballot paper, I think we are now mature enough to include maybe two or three constitutional questions that can be dealt with so that we move forward,” he added.

He cited the implementation of the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report, saying it could be one of the main anchors of the debate.

“For instance, the NADCO report. We have not heard much about it, but Parliament was tasked to resolve the issues there. Now that there is too much back and forth, why can’t we take this to the IEBC and have them craft a question or two to be subjected to a constitutional referendum?” Mudavadi stated.

He continued: “There were issues of inclusivity or lack of inclusivity being raised. Perhaps when one wanted to talk about introducing it in the NADCO report, plus the issue of whether we need to have a substantive Prime Minister, this could be the time to resolve it through a referendum ballot,” he noted.

Mudavadi defended concerns around logistics and budgetary implications, saying nothing much would change in terms of the cost of the election because the two exercises would run simultaneously.

Once the questions are well crafted and the referendum ballot availed, he said Kenyans are mature and intelligent enough to vote for political leadership and also express their views through a YES or NO vote on constitutional issues to be canvassed.

“I think this is the time. We have other issues like how to deal with the Constituency Development Fund. This matter has been the subject of back and forth between Parliament and the courts, and we need to put it to rest and anchor it in our constitutional framework,” noted Mudavadi.

Mudavadi said most issues that arise after elections and call for a review of governance structures create prolonged debate, keeping the country in an election and political mood repeatedly.

“Kenyans have been subjected to this debate of people being short-changed after elections. We have questions of structures that have to be negotiated, and to resolve these issues once and for all so that they become constitutional and avoid wasting more time after the General Election, this proposal stands the test of time,” Mudavadi explained.

“It is time now that we also resolve the issue of gender. This debate on the two-thirds gender rule has been endless, and when people ask for public participation, what could be the biggest public participation if not a referendum?” he posed.

According to Mudavadi, an approach that combines a general election and a referendum, if well managed, will yield greater results and save the taxpayer a lot of money and time, allowing focus on other critical issues including development, job creation, and economic recovery instead of continuous politicking.

“First, we will solve issues that Parliament has been unable to resolve. Second, we will get a higher voter turnout. And third, we will move the country away from constant bickering on issues and into the next phase of implementing some of those critical reforms,” he explained.