Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has renewed his call for Kenya to shift from its current presidential system to a parliamentary model of government. Speaking during the 2026 Devolution Sensitisation Week in Garissa County, Duale argued that such a system would allow the political party or coalition with the most Members of Parliament (MPs) to form the government, thereby eliminating the country's "tyranny of numbers" politics.

Duale recalled that he and the late ODM leader Raila Odinga had previously supported the introduction of a parliamentary system, but the proposal was rejected. He expressed hope that Kenya would adopt this system in the future.

Proposed Parliamentary Model

  • Voters elect MPs in their constituencies instead of directly electing the President.
  • The party or coalition with the highest number of MPs forms the national government.
  • Governments would be formed based on parliamentary representation, reducing ethnic and population-based political alliances.

Duale emphasized that the current presidential system encourages ethnic coalitions based on population size, which disadvantages smaller communities. He highlighted pastoralist communities in northern Kenya, noting their intention to increase population as a political strategy under the current system.

"If two or three of the largest communities form a coalition, they can dominate the presidency," he said, describing this as the "tyranny of numbers."

Potential Benefits of a Parliamentary System

  • Reduction in post-election violence as governments form through parliamentary majorities rather than a single national vote.
  • Devolution of elections to constituency level, similar to systems in the UK, India, and Ethiopia.
  • More inclusive governance that reflects parliamentary representation rather than population size alone.

Currently, Kenya’s 2010 Constitution establishes a presidential system where the President is elected directly by citizens and serves as both Head of State and Head of Government. Members of Parliament are elected separately, and Cabinet Secretaries are appointed by the President from outside Parliament.

Duale made his remarks under the theme "Devolution for Better Health, Empowered Communities" during the Devolution Sensitisation Week, highlighting the need for governance reforms to promote national cohesion.