Daniel Manduku, the Member of Parliament for Nyaribari Masaba, made a bold call on Thursday in Kisii, urging President William Ruto to dissolve the National Assembly and initiate fresh elections within the next 90 days.
Manduku's plea comes in the wake of widespread public discontent, particularly among Kenya's younger demographics, over the handling of the contentious Finance Bill of 2024, which was eventually withdrawn following significant public outcry.
Addressing concerns over parliamentary competence, Manduku criticized lawmakers for their perceived ineffectiveness in managing critical legislative matters.
He argued that recent events surrounding the Finance Bill have compromised the credibility of the National Assembly, making a resumption of normal proceedings impractical.
"It is imperative," Manduku asserted, "that the President dissolve the National Assembly and allow for new elections to uphold the democratic mandate entrusted by the people."
Highlighting recent disruptions and breaches of parliamentary decorum, Manduku emphasized the failure of institutional integrity and public trust within Parliament.
His proposal, however, raises constitutional challenges, particularly regarding the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), which currently lacks proper constitutional legitimacy.
The IEBC's ability to conduct credible elections has been in question since a court ruling earlier this year deemed its composition inadequate.
Without a fully constituted leadership, doubts persist about the commission's capacity to oversee electoral processes, including potential by-elections.