Kimilili Member of Parliament Didmus Barasa has called for Kenya to make a clear choice between a parliamentary and a presidential system of government, saying the country's current arrangement leaves Members of Parliament caught between serving the people who elected them and remaining loyal to the leadership of the ruling party.
Speaking during an interview on Radio Generation on Monday, Barasa said the country should move away from what he described as a hybrid system and settle on a single model of governance.
His remarks come at a time when political leaders are increasingly debating possible constitutional changes ahead of the 2027 General Election.
“We can’t have a hybrid system. We need to decide whether we need a parliamentary system or a presidential system,” Barasa said.
He argued that lawmakers elected under the party that forms the government often face competing responsibilities because the party leader also serves as the President.
As long as there is a likelihood of a Member of Parliament belonging to the political party forming the government, your party leader is both your party leader and your President. Then I serve my community courtesy of my party leader.
According to Barasa, this situation makes it difficult for MPs to balance their obligation to their constituents with their political allegiance to the party in power.
He also criticised what he described as Kenya's political culture, saying opposition leaders have increasingly focused on exposing failures by the government instead of advancing alternative ideas.
“We have created a tradition where, if you are in the opposition, your role is to look for the government’s mistakes, magnify them and place the blame on the government,” Didmus detailed.
Barasa's comments come as political leaders continue to take opposing positions on proposals to review Kenya's system of government.
Democracy for Citizens Party leader Rigathi Gachagua has openly opposed calls to introduce a parliamentary system, particularly proposals supported by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale.
Speaking during political rallies in Kinangop, Nyandarua County, on Sunday, August 2, 2026, Gachagua claimed the government was considering constitutional changes and linked the discussion to the race for the presidency in the next General Election.
He argued that under a parliamentary system, the political party or coalition with the highest number of Members of Parliament would have the mandate to form the government after elections.
Gachagua also criticised Duale's support for the proposal and drew comparisons with political events that took place before he was removed as Deputy President.
Despite the criticism, Duale has maintained that Kenya would benefit from adopting a parliamentary system. Speaking during the 2026 Devolution Sensitisation Week in Garissa, he said the current presidential model encourages ethnic competition during elections and that a different system could ease political tensions.
Duale explained that under a parliamentary arrangement, voters would first elect Members of Parliament in their respective constituencies before the political party or coalition commanding the majority in Parliament forms the government.
He cited India, the United Kingdom and Ethiopia as examples of countries operating under parliamentary systems.
Duale also recalled that he had previously backed similar proposals alongside the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, although the idea failed to attract enough support during earlier constitutional discussions.
He further argued that a parliamentary system would strengthen the voice of smaller communities, including pastoralist communities in northern Kenya, through representation in Parliament.
Kenya's 2010 Constitution provides for a presidential system in which the President is elected directly by voters. However, with political parties positioning themselves for the 2027 General Election, the country's governance structure has once again emerged as one of the key issues shaping the national political debate.