Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has proposed limiting politicians who enter Parliament and county assemblies through party nomination to a maximum of two terms, arguing that repeated nominations should not become an automatic pathway to political office.
Sifuna made the proposal on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, during a Senate debate on the tenure of nominated lawmakers.
The debate followed a motion by human rights advocate Laban Omusundi seeking to limit nominated Members of County Assembly (MCAs) to a single term.
Sifuna argued that while a first nomination may be based on an individual’s contribution to a political party, professional expertise or representation of a special-interest group, a second nomination should be based on demonstrated performance.
“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,” Sifuna said.
He said the performance of a nominated lawmaker should be assessed based on their conduct in the House, legislative contributions and the manner in which they represent the interests of the constituency or special-interest group that secured their nomination.
Sifuna also argued that imposing a two-term ceiling would create room for more people to gain parliamentary experience and develop their leadership capacity.
“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.
The proposal would apply to nominated positions in Parliament and county assemblies, according to Sifuna’s remarks.
Parliament currently has nominated members representing special-interest groups, including youth, persons with disabilities and workers.
Sifuna Questions Repeat Nominations
During the debate, Sifuna also criticised the idea of automatically returning nominated lawmakers to Parliament for another term, saying some had faced public criticism over their conduct and performance.
Without naming the senators he was referring to, he said a lawmaker’s first nomination should not guarantee another term.
However, Sifuna singled out nominated Senator Crystal Asige as an example of a lawmaker whose work, in his view, demonstrated the kind of performance that could justify consideration for another nomination.
Asige, who represents persons with disabilities and special-interest groups in the Senate, is listed by Parliament as a nominated senator from ODM.
Parliament’s profile also notes her work on disability rights, inclusion and accessibility.
Wangari Urges Nominated Women to Seek Elective Seats
The debate also featured remarks by Gilgil MP Martha Wangari, who challenged women leaders who enter Parliament through nomination to use the opportunity to build political networks before seeking elective positions.
Wangari pointed to her own political journey, saying she was nominated to the Senate in 2013 on a United Democratic Forum (UDF) ticket before returning to the grassroots and winning the Gilgil parliamentary seat in 2017.
She said nomination provided her with an opportunity to gain experience and establish a political base that later helped her pursue an elective position.
Wangari also cited Suba South MP Millie Odhiambo, who served as a nominated MP on an ODM ticket from 2007 to 2013 before winning an elective parliamentary seat.
She argued that nominated leaders should use their time in Parliament to strengthen their grassroots networks and eventually compete for elective positions rather than depend on repeated party nominations.
The debate comes ahead of the 2027 General Election and places renewed focus on how political parties select nominees and whether prolonged reliance on nominated positions should be limited.
Sifuna’s proposal, however, remains a proposal from the Senate debate and would require the appropriate legal or institutional process before becoming a binding term limit.
