The Constitution of Kenya

Syllabus tag: Kenya CBC | Grade 9 Social Studies | Strand 5.0 Political Developments and Governance | Sub-Strand 5.1 The Constitution of Kenya (8 Lessons)

Lesson objectives

By the end of this sub-strand, you should be able to:

• Explain the meaning and importance of a constitution.
• Describe the stages in constitution making in Kenya.
• Outline the structure and key features of the Constitution of Kenya 2010.
• Appreciate the role of the Constitution in governance.

Summary

A constitution is the supreme law of a country, setting out how it is governed, how power is distributed and limited, and what rights citizens hold. Kenya's current Constitution was promulgated in 2010 after a long process of review, and it replaced the independence constitution and its many amendments. Its central achievement is the limiting and dividing of power: through separation of powers, devolution to counties, an expanded Bill of Rights, and independent commissions. Understanding it matters because it is the document a citizen can point to when authority is exceeded.