Mudavadi Proposes Constitutional Referendum Alongside 2027 General Election
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has ignited fresh political discussion by suggesting that Kenya could hold a constitutional referendum at the same time as the 2027 General Election, allowing voters to settle long-standing governance issues once and for all.
Speaking in an end-of-year media interview at CHAMS Media in Nairobi on Tuesday, the veteran politician — who also serves as Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs — argued that combining the two exercises would be both practical and cost-effective, while demonstrating Kenya’s democratic maturity.
Musalia Mudavadi, a key architect of the current Kenya Kwanza administration and former leader of the Amani National Congress (ANC), said unresolved constitutional matters that have sparked endless parliamentary debates, court battles, and post-election tensions could be packaged into clear “Yes” or “No” questions for Kenyans to decide directly.
“We can use the 2027 election as the first example to have those issues that have never been resolved crafted well into sensible referendum questions that will help amend our 2010 Constitution,” Mudavadi declared.
He added: “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.”
The Prime CS emphasised that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) could manage the process effectively if structured properly, drawing parallels to Kenya’s history of handling complex electoral events — including the Supreme Court’s landmark nullification of a presidential election, which he said set a precedent for Africa and earned global recognition.
“The reason I am putting this debate in the public is because we don’t want to have arguments constantly on some issues that we know parliament may not want or manage to resolve. Same to the courts, and thus the voice of Kenyans must prevail,” he noted.
A major focus of Mudavadi’s proposal is the implementation of recommendations from the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report, which stemmed from bipartisan talks following widespread anti-government protests. He suggested that stalled issues from the report — such as greater inclusivity in governance and the potential introduction of a substantive Prime Minister position — could be put directly to voters.
“For instance, the NADCO report. We are not hearing much about it but Parliament was tasked to resolve the issues in there. Now that there is too much back and forth, why can’t we take this to IEBC and they craft a question or two to be subjected to a constitutional referendum?” Mudavadi posed.
He also highlighted ongoing controversies like the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), which has faced repeated legal challenges, and the long-debated two-thirds gender rule aimed at ensuring fair representation of women in elective positions.
“It’s time now that we also resolve the issue on gender, this debate on 2/3rds gender rule has remained to be an endless discussion, and when people ask for public participation, what could be the biggest public participation if not a referendum,” he added.
Defending the plan against concerns over logistics and costs, Mudavadi insisted that running the referendum concurrently with the general election would add minimal extra expense, as the infrastructure would already be in place.
He argued that Kenyans are “mature and intelligent enough” to vote for political leaders while simultaneously answering straightforward constitutional questions.
Mudavadi outlined three key benefits: resolving parliamentary deadlocks, boosting voter turnout through heightened interest, and shifting national focus away from perpetual political bickering toward development, job creation, and economic recovery.
“First, we’ll solve issues that our parliament has been unable to resolve. Two, we will get a higher voter turnout. And three, we will be moving the country away from constant bickering on an issue to now moving to the next phase of implementing some of those critical issues,” he explained.
The proposal comes amid ongoing discussions about governance reforms in Kenya, where post-election disputes and calls for structural changes have frequently dominated the national conversation. Mudavadi stressed that entrenching solutions constitutionally would prevent repeated negotiations and instability after every election.
While the idea has yet to receive formal backing from the government or opposition, Mudavadi’s comments are likely to spark intense debate in the coming months as Kenya edges closer to the 2027 polls. Political observers will be watching closely to see if the suggestion gains traction or faces resistance from those wary of constitutional changes through a: combined vote.
Also Read: KeNHA Reveals Alternative Routes to Beat the Nairobi-Nakuru Traffic Jam This Christmas
Mudavadi Proposes Constitutional Referendum Alongside 2027 General Election