Kiambu Senator Karungo wa Thang’wa on Wednesday accused President William Ruto of violating the Constitution by assenting to seven Bills that never reached the Senate for approval.
He termed the move as an assault on devolution and called for urgent judicial intervention to safeguard constitutional integrity.
In a strongly worded statement released on Wednesday, 22nd October 2025, Senator Karungo described the President’s actions as a “gross violation of the Constitution” and an attack on the principle of bicameralism, which forms a cornerstone of Kenya’s legislative process and the protection of devolution.
According to the senator, the President assented to eight Bills on October 15, 2025, seven of which had not gone through the Senate, thus undermining the constitutional requirement for joint participation by both Houses of Parliament.
Among the Bills cited are the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes (Amendment) Bill, 2024, Privatisation Bill, 2025, Wildlife Conservation and Management (Amendment) Bill, 2023, National Police Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2024, Air Passenger Service Charge (Amendment) Bill, 2025, Virtual Asset Service Providers Bill, 2025, and the National Land Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
Senator Karungo claimed that the President’s decision to sign these Bills into law without Senate involvement was not accidental but “a deliberate and cynical move” aimed at bypassing constitutional checks.
“The President chose to sneak the assents like a thief in the night, yet in broad daylight, and on a day when the nation was mourning the passing of the late Rt. Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga,” Karungo stated.
He described the timing as both “morally questionable and politically insensitive,” noting that the nation was reflecting on the values of democracy and justice for which the late Raila Odinga stood.
“While Kenyans mourned a national hero who defended democracy, the President quietly assented to laws that weaken the very institutions that uphold our democratic order,” he added.
The senator questioned the urgency and motive behind the President’s move, challenging the legality of the assents and calling for institutional response and accountability.
“Why did the President proceed to sign these Bills despite clear constitutional guidance? What urgency justified such blatant disregard for due process?” he asked.
Karungo has called on the Senate leadership to urgently seek an advisory opinion from the courts under Articles 110, 111, 112, and 163 of the Constitution on the validity of the affected Acts.
He further appealed to the Council of Governors, civil society organizations, Gen Z activists, and all patriotic Kenyans to resist what he termed as “creeping authoritarianism and constitutional subversion.”
“This is not a partisan issue, it is a national concern. The Constitution belongs to the people, not to Ruto, not to the Executive. We will not allow any arm of government to mutilate or sidestep it for political convenience,” Karungo emphasized.
