Nairobi law courts - Judiciary
A strong, independent judiciary has a special role in a constitutional democracy. Courts must be able to decide disputes between people honestly and fairly so build trust in the legal system. But courts are also the ultimate protectors of the Constitution and its values because they can overturn (set aside) laws that do not comply with the Constitution and declare action that is contrary to the Constitution unconstitutional (invalid). Read more…
Kenya Parliment
In a 1867 study of English politics, Walter Bagehot (pronounced ‘Bajit’) distinguished between the ‘dignified’ and the ‘effective’ parts of a political system. Legislatures, he thought, generally fall on the ‘dignified’ side of the divide, because their main role is to confer legitimacy on politics. The Proposed Constitution challenges that view of legislatures. Chapter 8 establishes a Parliament quite different from the current Kenyan Parliament, with a set of responsibilities that seek to ensure that the power of the state is not concentrated in the executive but is properly balanced between the executive, Parliament, the judiciary and various independent commissions. Read more…
Parliament is established and consists of two Houses; the National Assembly and the Senate.
National Assembly Consists of:
- two hundred and ninety members elected by the registered voters of every constituency.
- forty-seven women each elected by the registered voters of the counties.
- twelve members nominated by parliamentary political parties according to their proportion of members of the National Assembly, to represent special interests including the youth, persons with disabilities and workers.
- the Speaker, who is an ex offi cio member.
The National Assembly represents the people
at the constituencies and those with special
interests. Its functions are to:
make national laws.
determine the allocation of national
revenue.
approve funds for expenditure by the
national government.
exercise oversight over national
revenue and national expediture.
review the conduct in offi ce of the
executive.
approve declarations of war and
extensions of states of emergency.
appove appointments made by the
President.
“
My views were
collected,
and I
said I
want
a
constitution
that recognizes
my aspirations,
and which
respects the rule
of law”
