The New Constitutional Law of Kenya. Principles, Government and Human Rights

Osogo Ambani, Kiwinda Mbondenyi

Description

The golden thread that cuts across the various chapters of the book is the emphasis that good constitutions anchor certain tenets that have garnered recognition as hallmarks of democratic dispensation. These hallmarks include the concept of separation of powers; the doctrine of the rule of law; constitutionalism and human rights. These attributes have largely been secured by the 2010 Constitution. Thus, this book is expected to contribute to this new promise by making knowledge on the Constitution accessible through breaking down and contextualising its provisions. It is certain to be useful to law and government students, lawyers, researchers and other persons who seek to understand the new constitutional order.

Sujets

• Law

Informations

• Publié par: LawAfrica Publishing Ltd
• Date de parution: 29 décembre 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9789966031907
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

N EW C ONSTITUTIONAL L K AW OF ENYA

Principles, Government and Human Rights

N C EW ONSTITUTIONAL L AWOF K ENYA

Principles, Government and Human Rights

Morris Kiwinda Mbondenyi LLD, LLM (UNISA), LLB (MOI), Senior Lecturer and Head, Africa Nazarene University Law School

J Osogo Ambani LLD (Cand), LLM (UP), LLB (UON), Lecturer, Moi University School of Law

Published by

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Website: www.lawafrica.com

© Morris Kiwinda Mbondenyi & Osogo Ambani 2012; LawAfrica 9789966031372 ISBN

Copyright subsists in this work. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or means, or stored in a retrieval system of any nature without the prior publisher’s written permission. Any unauthorized reproduction of this work will constitute a copyright infringement and render the doer liable under both criminal and civil law. Application for permission for use of copyright material including permission to reproduce extracts in other published works shall be made to the publishers. Full acknowledgement of the author, publisher and source must be given. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that the information published in this work is accurate, the author, the editors, publishers and printers take no responsibility for any loss or damage suffered by any person as a result of reliance upon the information contained herein.

T C ABLE OF ONTENTS

Page Preface ........................................................................................... xi Table of Cases................................................................................. xvii Table of Statutes.............................................................................. xxi List of Abbreviations ....................................................................... xlvx

P ART I: G ENERAL I NTRODUCTION

C HAPTER 1: W HATISA C ONSTITUTION .......................................... 3 Why the Constitution? .............................................................. 6 Constitution, human rights and constitutionalism ...................... 7 Constitutions and democracy .................................................... 9 Constitutions and good governance ........................................... 9 Constitutions, directive principles and the Republic................... 10

C HAPTER 2: T HE 2010 C ONSTITUTIONINTHE C LASSIFICATIONOF C ONSTITUTIONS ...................................................................... 11 Written v unwritten ............................................................ 12 Rigid v flexible.................................................................... 12 Parliamentary v presidential.................................................. 14 Unitary v federal v confederal .............................................. 15 Supreme v subordinate......................................................... 16 Republican v monarchical.................................................... 17 Secular v religious ................................................................ 18 Autochthony and the 2010 Constitution ................................... 19

C HAPTER 3: S OURCESOF L AW ........................................................

The 2010 Constitution as a rule of recognition.......................... Judicature Act as a rule of recognition........................................

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1

22 36

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Morris Kiwinda Mbondenyi and Osogo Ambani The New Constitutional Law of Kenya

P ART II: C ONSTITUTIONAL P RINCIPLES

C HAPTER 4: S OVEREIGNTYOFTHE P EOPLE ....................................

C HAPTER 5: S UPREMACYOFTHE C ONSTITUTION ............................ 43

Constitutional basis for the principle of supremacy of the constitution.................................................................... The Constitution ................................................................. The Judicature Act ............................................................... Judicial precedent: Marbury v Madison ................................ Kelsen’s grundnorm theory .................................................. Social contract theory ..........................................................

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43 43 45 46 49 50

C HAPTER 6: T HE R ULEOF L AW ................................5......3................ The Diceyan conception ........................................................... 53 Criticisms of the Diceyan conception ........................................ 54 The rule of law and the 2010 Constitution ................................ 57 Significance of the rule.............................................................. 61

C HAPTER 7: S EPARATIONOF P OWERS ............................................. Montesquieu and separation of powers ...................................... Separation of powers in Kenya’s 2010 Constitution .................... 2010 Constitution and the idea of checks and balances .............. Constitutional protection of socio economic rights and separation of powers............................................................. National human rights institutions and separation of powers ...... Prior to the 2010 Constitution ..................................................

63 64 65 69

70 71 73

C HAPTER 8: C ONCEPTOF I NDEPENDENCEOFTHE D ICIARY ............ 75 Elements of judicial independence............................................. 77 Modes of appointing judges....................................................... 78 Security of tenure...................................................................... 78 Financial security/independence................................................ 78 Structure of Government .......................................................... 79

Morris Kiwinda Mbondenyi and Osogo Ambani Table of Contents

Judicial independence under the 2010 Constitution ...................

P ART III: G OVERNMENT

vii

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9

C HAPTER 9: T HE E XECUTIVE .......................................................... 85 Executive function under the 2010 Constitution........................ 86 Designation of executive authority ............................................ 87 National executive..................................................................... 88 The President ...................................................................... 88 State and government .......................................................... 88 Address and report to Parliament and people ........................ 89 Legislation ........................................................................... 90 National defence and security .............................................. 90 Appointments and constitution of offices ............................. 92 Republic, national values, human rights and international obligations .................................................................... 96 Dispensation of justice ......................................................... 97 The President and prerogative powers........................................ 98 Immunities of the President....................................................... 99 Elections of the President .......................................................... 100 The Deputy President ............................................................... 102 Cabinet and Cabinet Secretaries ................................................ 103 Cabinet responsibility to the President ....................................... 104 The Attorney General ............................................................... 105 Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP)....................................... 107 County Executive...................................................................... 108 Devolution and conflict management ................................... 111 Election of the Governor and Deputy Governor .................. 113

C HAPTER 10: T HE L EGISLATURE ..................................................... 115

The national Legislature ............................................................ 117 The structure, composition and functions of Parliament........ 119 The National Assembly ........................................................ 119

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Morris Kiwinda Mbondenyi and Osogo Ambani The New Constitutional Law of Kenya

The Senate .......................................................................... 121 Qualifications and disqualifications for election as MP.......... 124 Vacation of office of MP ...................................................... 126 The right of recall ................................................................ 127 The law-making procedures of Parliament............................ 129 Exercise of legislative powers................................................ 129 Bills concerning county government .................................... 130 Presidential assent and referral .............................................. 131 County legislatures .................................................................... 133 Structure and composition of the county assemblies ............. 134 Qualifications for election as member of County Assembly... 135 Vacation of office of member of County Assembly ............... 136 Conflict of laws.................................................................... 136

C HAPTER 11: T HE J UDICIARY .......................................................... 139 Judicial authority ....................................................................... 139 Judiciary: A historical background.............................................. 140 Structure and jurisdiction of the courts...................................... 147 Superior Courts ........................................................................ 147 The Supreme Court............................................................. 148 The Court of Appeal............................................................ 151 The High Court .................................................................. 152 Environment and Land Court .............................................. 153 Industrial Court ................................................................... 155 Appointment and removal of judges ..................................... 156 Subordinate courts .................................................................... 158 Magistrate Courts ................................................................ 158 Kadhi Courts ....................................................................... 161 Court Martial ...................................................................... 162 Other specialised courts and tribunals................................... 163 The Judicial Service Commission .............................................. 164

Morris Kiwinda Mbondenyi and Osogo Ambani Table of Contents

P ART IV: T HE B ILLOF R IGHTS

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x

C HAPTER 12: T HE B ILLOF R IGHTS ................................................ 169 Introduction and context........................................................... 169 Bill of Rights under the 2010 Constitution................................ 174 Bill of Rights: as a near exhaustive catalogue of entitlements.................................................................. 175 Right to life......................................................................... 176 Equality and freedom from discrimination............................ 179 Human dignity .................................................................... 184 Freedom and security of the person ..................................... 184 Slavery, servitude and forced labour ...................................... 190 Privacy ................................................................................ 192 Freedom of conscience, religion, belief and opinion.............. 193 Freedom of expression ......................................................... 194 Freedom of the media .......................................................... 196 Freedom of association......................................................... 197 Assembly, demonstration, picketing and petition ................... 199 Political rights ...................................................................... 199 Freedom of movement and residence ................................... 200 Right to property ................................................................ 201 Labour relations rights.......................................................... 203 Right to clean and healthy environment............................... 203 Economic, social and cultural rights...................................... 207 Family related rights............................................................. 208 Consumer rights .................................................................. 209 Justice related rights ............................................................. 210 Rights of special groups ....................................................... 213 Bill of Rights, as a collage of human rights ........................... 215 Bill of Rights, with an expansive ‘non-discrimination clause’........................................................................... 217 Bill of Rights, with regard for substantive equality ................ 218