‘We, the people of Kenya’ as the sovereign in post-2010 constitutional amendments: a comparative approach

Abstract

The Constitution of Kenya 2010 dedicates Chapter 16 to its amendments via parliamentary and popular initiative amendments. This research critically analyses the central role of the Kenyan people as the supreme sovereign in post-2010 constitutional amendments using a comparative study of jurisdictions such as India, South Africa and Lithuania. It discusses the constitutional principles: the sovereignty of the people, the supremacy of the Constitution, separation of powers and checks and balances, and transformative constitutionalism vis-à-vis constitutional amendments, the purposive constitutional interpretation of the amendment provisions, the Constitution-making history and its relevance to post-2010 constitutional amendments, the prerequisites in constitutional amendments such as public participation, the delimitation of parliamentary and popular initiative amendments, and the issues arising in post-2010 constitutional amendments such as the basic structure ‘doctrine’, nature of national referendum questions and whether State organs, offices and officers including the President can initiate popular initiative amendments. This critical analysis uses emerging jurisprudence from the superior courts, comparative jurisprudence, and scholarly literature to provide instructive lessons and best international practices in interpreting the amendment provisions. There is also ‘reverse learning’ as the Kenyan jurisprudence is good for foreign jurisdictions such as India, South Africa and Lithuania. The results of this study show that the ordinary Kenyan people are the central actors in constitutional amendments, and parliamentary and popular initiative amendments must comply with constitutional principles and the mandatory procedures set out under Chapter 16 of the 2010 Constitution. The study gives several recommendations, including political goodwill and good political leadership, enactment of the national referendum and public participation legislation, education awareness of the Kenyan people, full implementation of the 2010 Constitution, consistency in developing transformative jurisprudence by superior courts, public interest litigation, strengthening the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, and the amendment to Article 255(1) of the 2010 Constitution to include the Preamble as one of the listed matters. It is firmly believed that the full implementation of these recommendations would go a long way in ensuring that the ordinary Kenyan people are the supreme sovereign as the central promoters of post-2010 constitutional amendments that improve democratic good governance and adjust to positive societal transformations.

Umthethosisekelo waseKenya 2010 unikezela iSahluko 16 ukubheka izichibiyelo zawo ngokusebenzisa izichibiyelo zephalamende nezinguquko ezithandwayo. Lolu cwaningo luhlaziya ngokujulile iqhaza elibalulekile labantu baseKenya abanjengabazimele ezichibiyelweni zomthethosisekelo zangemuva konyaka u-2010 kusetshenziswa ucwaningo oluqhathanisa izindawo ezifana ne-India neNingizimu Afrika. Lolu cwaningo ludingida imigomo yomthethosisekelo, ubukhosi babantu, ubukhulu boMthethosisekelo, ukwehlukaniswa kwamandla, ukubukezwa kanye nokulinganisa kanye nokuguqula umthethosisekelo ngokuchitshiyelwa komthethosisekelo, ukuhunyushwa okuyinhloso kwezihlinzeko zokuchitshiyelwa, umlando wokwenza uMthethosisekelo, kanye nokuhlobana kwayo nezichibiyelo zomthethosisekelo zangemva konyaka ka-2010, izimfuneko ezichibiyelweni zomthethosisekelo ezifana nokubamba iqhaza komphakathi, ukunqunywa kwemingcele yezichibiyelo zephalamende nezinhlelo ezithandwayo, kanye nezindaba eziqubuke ezichibiyelweni zomthethosisekelo zangemva kuka-2010 njenge’mfundiso’ eyisakhiwo esiyisisekelo, uhlobo Iwemibuzo yenhlolovo kanye nokuthi izinhlaka zoMbuso, amahhovisi kanye nezikhulu kubandakanya noMongameli bangakwazi yini ukusungula izichibiyelo ezithandwayo. Lokhu kuhlaziya okubalulekile kusebenzisa ulwazi lwezomthetho olusafufusa oluvela ezinkantolo eziphakeme, umthetho ongokomthetho wokuqhathanisa kanye nezincwadi zezazi ukuze kunikezwe izifundo ezifundisayo kanye nezinqubo ezinhle kakhulu zamazwe ngamazwe ekuchazeni izinhlinzeko zokuchitshiyelwa. Kukhona futhi ‘ukufunda okuhlanekezelwe’ njengoba umthetho waseKenya ulungele izindawo zangaphandle ezifana neNdiya neNingizimu Afrika. Imiphumela yalolu cwaningo ikhombisa ukuthi abantu baseKenya abajwayelekile yibona ababambe iqhaza elikhulu ekuchibiyelweni komthethosisekelo futhi izichibiyelo zePhalamende nezithandwayo kumele zihambisane nemigomo yomthethosisekelo kanye nezinqubo eziyimpoqo ezibekwe ngaphansi kweSahluko 16 soMthethosisekelo ka-2010. Lolu cwaningo lunikeza izincomo eziningana ezihlanganisa ukuthakazelelwa kwezombusazwe kanye nobuholi obuhle bezombusazwe, ukugunyazwa kwenhlolovo kazwelonke kanye nomthetho wokubamba iqhaza komphakathi, ukuqwashisa ngemfundo yabantu baseKenya, ukuqaliswa ngokugcwele koMthethosisekelo we-2010, ukungaguquguquki ekuthuthukiseni umthetho oguqukayo wezinkantolo eziphakeme, ukumangalela izithakazelo zomphakathi, ukuqinisa amakhomishana omthethosisekelo kanye nezichibiyelo zeSigaba 255(1) soMthethosisekelo wezi-2010 ukuze kufake isandulela somthethosisekelo njengolunye lwezindaba ezisohlwini. Kuyathembakala ukuthi ukuqaliswa ngokugcwele izincomo kuzosiza ekuqinisikeni abantu base Kenya ukuthi ibona abangababusi abaphakeme bagqugquzele ukuchitshiyelwa komthethosisekelo wangemva konyaka wezi-2010 ozothuthukisa ukubusa okuhle kwentando yeningi, kanye nokulungisa izinguquko ezinhle emphakathini.

Katiba ya Kenya 2010 imetenga Sura ya 16 kwa marekebisho yake kupitia mpango wa Bunge na mpango maarufu wa wananchi. Utafiti huu unachambua kwa kina jukumu kuu la watu wa Kenya kama wenye mamlaka (nguvu zote) katika marekebisho ya Katiba baada ya 2010 kwa kutumia utafiti wa kulinganisha mamlaka kama vile India, Afrika Kusini na Lithuania. Utafiti huu unajadili kanuni za kikatiba: mamlaka ya wananchi, ukuu wa Katiba, mgawanyo wa madaraka na hundi na mizani, na mabadiliko yanayoletwa na Katiba, tafsiri ya Katiba ya Sura ya 16, historia ya kutengeneza Katiba na umuhimu wake kwa marekebisho ya Katiba baada ya 2010, mahitaji ya marekebisho ya Katiba kama vile ushiriki wa umma, marekebisho ya kupitia mpango wa Bunge na marekebisho ya mpango maarufu wa wananchi, na masuala yanayojitokeza katika marekebisho ya Katiba baada ya 2010 kama vile kanuni ya muundo msingi, asili ya maswali ya kura ya maoni na ikiwa vyombo vya serikali, ofisi na maafisa ikiwa ni pamoja na Rais wanaweza kuanzisha marekebisho ya mpango maarufu wa wananchi. Uchambuzi huu wa kina unatumia maamuzi yanayojitokeza kutoka kwa mahakama za juu, sheria za kulinganisha, na fasihi ya wasomi kutoa masomo ya kufundisha na mazoea bora ya kimataifa katika kutafsiri vifungu vya marekebisho ya Katiba. Pia kuna kujifunza kinyume kama sheria ya Kenya ni nzuri kwa mamlaka za kigeni kama vile India, Afrika Kusini na Lithuania. Matokeo ya utafiti huu yanaonyesha kuwa watu wa kawaida wa Kenya ndio wahusika wakuu katika marekebisho ya Katiba, na marekebisho ya mpango wa Bunge na marekebisho ya mpango maarufu wa wananchi lazima yazingatie kanuni za kikatiba na taratibu za lazima zilizowekwa chini ya Sura ya 16 ya Katiba ya 2010. Utafiti huu unatoa mapendekezo kadhaa ikiwa ni pamoja na nia njema ya kisiasa na uongozi mzuri wa kisiasa, kutungwa kwa sheria ya kura ya maoni na sheria ya ushiriki wa umma, ufahamu wa elimu kwa watu wa Kenya, utekelezaji kamili wa Katiba ya 2010, uthabiti katika kuendeleza maamuzi ya mabadiliko kutoka kwa mahakama za juu, madai ya maslahi ya umma, kuimarisha tume za kikatiba, na marekebisho ya Kifungu cha 255(1) cha Katiba ya 2010 kujumuisha Utangulizi kama moja ya mambo yaliyoorodheshwa. Inaaminika kabisa kwamba utekelezaji kamili wa mapendekezo haya utaenda mbali katika kuhakikisha kwamba watu wa kawaida wa Kenya ni wenye mamlaka kama wahamasishaji wakuu wa marekebisho ya Katiba baada ya 2010 ambayo yanaboresha utawala bora wa kidemokrasia na kurekebisha mabadiliko mazuri ya kijamii.