Musalia Mudavadi. Photo/Courtesy
A fresh political dispute has emerged after Saboti MP Caleb Amisi sharply challenged Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi’s support for holding a constitutional referendum alongside the 2027 general elections.
The exchange has added to growing divisions within government and Parliament over whether constitutional changes should take precedence over pressing social and economic concerns.
Amisi, speaking through a post on X, questioned Mudavadi’s credibility and intentions, arguing that the referendum proposal reflects misplaced priorities.
The ODM legislator criticised what he described as long-standing patterns of leadership failure, pointing to Mudavadi’s four decades in public service and his current position as Kenya’s third-ranking government official.
According to Amisi, Mudavadi’s sudden focus on constitutional reform is difficult to justify given his extensive experience in government.
He accused the Prime Cabinet Secretary of neglecting the everyday struggles faced by citizens while remaining deeply invested in retaining power within the state.
Amisi further alleged that Mudavadi has been detached from public concerns, claiming he is more focused on government office than on addressing national challenges.
The Saboti MP also raised alarm over the implications of framing the 2027 elections as potentially unconstitutional without a referendum.
He argued that such assertions risk creating unnecessary political anxiety and diverting attention from urgent issues such as the cost of living, public service delivery, and governance reforms already provided for under the 2010 Constitution.
Mudavadi has previously stated that constitutional timelines on electoral boundaries and governance structures necessitate urgent attention, warning that failure to act could trigger legal complications ahead of the next polls.
His remarks have reignited long-running debates on constitutional amendments, a subject that has featured prominently in Kenya’s post-2010 political landscape.
Amisi, however, rejected this reasoning, suggesting that calls for a referendum at this stage serve individual political interests rather than the public good.
He urged Kenyans to remain alert and critical as the discussion unfolds, framing the debate as a test of leadership responsibility ahead of the 2027 elections.
As the country moves closer to the next electoral cycle, the referendum question is expected to sharpen political divisions, with leaders taking contrasting positions on whether constitutional change is urgent or a distraction from governance challenges facing millions of Kenyans.