Nominated positions in Parliament and county assemblies should not become a permanent political path, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has said, proposing that leaders who secure the slots through political parties be allowed to serve for a maximum of two terms.
Sifuna said the limit would ensure nomination slots are opened up to more people while giving those selected an opportunity to gain experience and prepare for elective politics.
He made the remarks on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, as senators debated a motion brought by human rights advocate Laban Omusundi, who wants nominated Members of County Assembly (MCAs) to serve for only one term.
Sifuna differed with the proposal for a single term, saying two terms would provide a better balance between giving leaders time to serve and creating opportunities for others.
He said the reasons that may justify a politician’s first nomination should not automatically guarantee another term. According to Sifuna, a first appointment could be based on a leader’s contribution to the party or expertise, but anyone seeking to return for a second term should first show what they achieved in office.
“The second term, I think if you get a nomination in the first term, we can argue about your contributions to the party and your expertise, but the second one has to be deserved, based on how you have conducted yourself, the contributions you’ve made on the floor, and the contributions you’ve made towards the constituency that nominated you,” Sifuna said.
The senator said placing a two-term limit would prevent the same people from occupying nomination slots repeatedly and allow new leaders to gain experience in public service.
“With those many remarks, Honourable Speaker, I would go with the suggestion that we give a maximum of two terms so that we allow as many people as possible to get these slots and to grow their capacity for leadership,” he said.
Sifuna also raised concerns about the conduct of some nominated senators, saying some had faced criticism from members of the public over their performance and behaviour in office.
He did not identify the senators, but said their conduct had been so unpopular that some Kenyans were already calling for them to leave office before their current terms had ended.
His position was that such lawmakers should not be treated as automatic candidates for another nomination. Instead, he said, their record in the Senate should form part of the consideration when parties decide whether to nominate them again.
Sifuna singled out nominated Senator Crystal Asige as an example of a lawmaker whose work could justify another term. He pointed to her contribution to Senate proceedings and her representation of persons with disabilities.
The debate also featured views that nominated leaders should eventually move into elective politics rather than depend on party nomination to remain in Parliament.
Gilgil MP Martha Wangari urged women leaders who gain entry into Parliament through nomination to use the opportunity to establish themselves at the grassroots and later compete for elective positions.
Wangari drew from her own experience, recalling that she entered the Senate as a nominated leader in 2013 on a United Democratic Forum (UDF) ticket.
She later returned to the grassroots and contested for the Gilgil parliamentary seat in 2017, winning the election after using the period following her nomination to build a political base.
She said the experience showed that nominated positions can provide leaders with a platform to establish themselves before seeking elective office.
Wangari also cited Suba South MP Millie Odhiambo, who was nominated to Parliament on an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ticket between 2007 and 2013 before seeking support at the grassroots and eventually winning the Suba South parliamentary seat.
Wangari said leaders who enter Parliament through nomination should use the opportunity to expand their political networks and prepare to compete for elective seats instead of seeking repeated nominations.