Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei is not a happy man.

The youthful lawmaker was supposed to make his oral presentations to the National Dialogue Committee (NDC).

However, the committee has backtracked on this arrangement.

“We regret to inform you that we shall not hold the meeting as earlier communicated. In light of the foregoing, the committee shall consider your written memoranda as earlier submitted,” a letter from the committee’s co-chairpersons – Kimani Ichung’wah and Kalonzo Musyoka – addressed to Cherargei reads in part.

Succumbing to emotional black mail

But Senator Cherargei is having none of it. In a counter-letter, he accuses the committee of succumbing to “emotional black mail”.

The senator, last week, elicited a debate after he proposed the extension of presidential term from the current five to seven years.

A majority of Kenyans on X, formerly Twitter, were on his case, some even suggesting that he had been sent by President William Ruto to “test waters”.

UDA denies Cherargei

The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Party even released an official statement, distancing itself from Cherargei’s term limit proposal.

It is for this reason that Cheragei insists he wants to appear before the Bipartisan Talks team to clarify on some things.

Other issues that Cherargei wants to clarify on include; institutionalisation of the Office of the Opposition Leader, re-introduction of the Office of the Prime Minister, Constitutional backing for the CDF and Ward Development Fund, as well as veto powers of the Senate.

‘I am not happy’

“I hereby wish to express my dissatisfaction on the committee on my memoranda considering that the matters raised elicited serious concerns among members of the public,” Cherargei adds.

Further, Cherargei says that oral submissions are not optional since any Kenyans and other stakeholders still have any issues needed to be addressed to the committee.

“I am exploring option of legislative intervention in our proposals through Parliamentary process.”