Amos Wako roots for constitutional review to fix parliamentary system
By Eric Juma, October 29, 2025Former Attorney General Amos Wako has called for a review of the constitution with a view to fixing a parliamentary system that former Prime Minister Raila Odinga found suitable and the best strategy to address the country’s ethnic divisions and corruption.
Speaking at Kango Ka Jaramogi, where he laid a wreath on Raila’s grave on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, Wako said Raila, who championed the 2010 constitution, was rooting for the constitutional review to fix a parliamentary system since the presidential system has failed to deliver economic and social dividends to Kenyans.
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“Raila was for a parliamentary system, but he gave in on a presidential one. So, it’s my prayer that when the constitutional review process kicks off, we should ensure the parliamentary system of government sails through, “Wako said.
Further, Wako said he believes the parliamentary system will address the great ills (corruption and ethnic divisions) that have ravaged the country.
“In most parliamentary systems, the leader of government, usually called the prime minister, is a member of parliament and the person who has secured the support of the most significant number of MPs (usually the leader of the largest party in parliament).
Previously, Raila had said the system was the best because it introduces checks and balances in government.”
“The presidential system has created a strongman syndrome in most African countries, including Kenya; this has turned elections into a do-or-die affair, leading to bloody confrontations every five years,” Raila said.
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Speaking in 2019, Raila had said, ‘It has been nine years since we had this Constitution. It’s now time for us to change where we have a problem, and if we don’t do it now, we will have problems in the future.’ Raila
“It is his view that the electoral process in a parliamentary system will not generate the same bitterness and tension when the fight is for the position of the President.”
The Prime Minister is the leader of the government under the parliamentary system.
The PM also becomes a Member of Parliament by virtue of having the support of the largest number of MPs after elections.
Under this system, ministers also have to be MPs.
Raila said the best thing about the parliamentary system is that once the prime minister ceases to enjoy majority support in parliament, they can be removed by a vote of MPs.
The President, under this system, becomes head of government and is a non-partisan and nationally unifying force.
‘A parliamentary system is better than the presidential system because the government is in parliament and it can answer questions while in parliament. It is also easier to remove a leader for whatever reason in a parliamentary system than it is to impeach a president in a presidential system,’ Raila had said.