COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli has called on President William Ruto to initiate constitutional changes that would permanently remove presidential term limits.
Speaking during a television interview on Tuesday, the outspoken trade unionist argued that a five-year term is insufficient for any president to fully design, implement, and complete meaningful national development projects. According to Atwoli, the time pressure placed on presidents often undermines long-term planning and effective delivery.
He suggested that any proposed constitutional amendments should begin with the current Head of State, noting that President Ruto is already under intense pressure to deliver key programmes within a limited timeframe.
Atwoli further stated that if he were in a position of leadership, removing the five-year term limit would be among his first actions. He maintained that major development initiatives require extended periods of preparation and execution, which he believes cannot realistically be achieved within a single term.
“If I were president today, I would scrap the term limit immediately. It does not serve any meaningful purpose,” Atwoli said during the interview.
The labour leader urged President Ruto to seriously consider abolishing the current presidential term framework, arguing that doing so would give leaders adequate time to implement transformative development agendas without the constant pressure of election cycles. @dunda
“Given an opportunity, I would scrap the 10-year presidential term limit,” the overstayed COTU SG, Francis Atwoli, sent to test the waters once again! pic.twitter.com/KOcoaYKJTa
— The Kenyan Vigilante (@KenyanSays) February 5, 2026