The Government has accepted key recommendations of the Constitution Review Committee (CRC) aimed at reforming the Presidency, including extending the tenure of the President from four to five years and reducing the minimum age for presidential candidates from 40 to 35 years.
The proposals form part of the Government’s Position Paper on the Constitution Review Committee’s Final Report, issued by the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice.
Government also accepted in principle a corresponding amendment to Article 113(1) and (2) of the 1992 Constitution to extend the term of Parliament from four to five years, bringing it in line with the proposed presidential tenure.
According to the position paper, a five-year term would provide a more realistic period for governments to formulate, implement and evaluate policies. It noted that the existing four-year cycle is constrained by the transition period at the beginning of a new administration and the electoral activities that dominate the final year of the term.
The Government said the proposed extension would give both the President and Members of Parliament sufficient time to fulfil their mandates and deliver meaningful development outcomes.
On the eligibility age for the Presidency, the Constitution Review Committee had recommended amending Article 62(b) to reduce the minimum age from 40 to 30 years.
While accepting the recommendation in principle, the Government proposed a modified threshold of 35 years instead of 30.
It explained that the current constitutional requirement excludes otherwise qualified citizens from contesting the Presidency based on what is described as an arbitrary age limit. However, it argued that reducing the minimum age to 35 would strike a balance between expanding democratic participation and ensuring that candidates possess an appropriate level of maturity and experience.
The Government further maintained that a citizen who is constitutionally qualified to serve as a Member of Parliament should not be prevented from seeking the nation’s highest office solely because of age.
The recommendations form part of the Government’s broader response to the Constitution Review Committee’s Final Report, which outlines its position on proposed constitutional reforms intended to strengthen democratic governance and improve the effectiveness of public institutions.
