Senior Counsel Ahmednassir Abdullahi has fired a cautionary shot at proposals to hold a constitutional referendum alongside Kenya’s next general election, warning that the move could backfire politically.
His reaction follows remarks by Prime CS Musalia Mudavadi, who said combining the two could be acceptable.
“H.E William Ruto is neither mad nor foolish to have a constitutional referendum with a general election,” he wrote, pointing to several reasons why it could be dangerous.
He highlighted that Kenyans generally oppose constitutional amendments and that any changes creating new political positions could be a “death wish” for the incumbent.
According to Ahmednassir, a referendum could also give the opposition a rallying cause, uniting them and boosting their momentum ahead of the elections.
“General elections are won and lost on the record and agenda of the parties,” he added, warning that a referendum is a “wild card” likely to favour opponents instead of the sitting government.
Mudavadi’s earlier suggestion that a referendum could run alongside the general election sparked the debate, though he did not outline how it would be executed.
Kenya has seen heated debates over constitutional reforms in the past, including the landmark 2010 referendum, showing that voters react strongly to changes perceived as politically motivated.
Ahmednassir’s warning comes amid growing discussions about the timing and strategy of reforms.
His comments stress that while constitutional changes may be legally possible during an election, the political cost could be high, especially if the electorate sees them as self-serving or unnecessary.
As the 2026 elections approach, this debate adds a new layer to Kenya’s political landscape, raising questions about how leaders balance governance reforms with electoral strategy.