Uasin Gishu Civil Society and Journalists Mark 16 Years of the 2010 Constitution
“The true meaning of devolution will be measured by the services citizens receive. County resources must be reflected in health, water, infrastructure and other essential development projects that directly transform the lives of the people,” Ng’ososei
Uasin Gishu civil society organisations and journalists, led by Benedine Kipruto, issue a press statement in Eldoret during celebrations marking 16 years since the promulgation of Kenya's 2010 Constitution, calling for stronger constitutional institutions, accountability, media freedom and effective devolution.
By Hubzmedia Reporter
Civil society organisations and journalists in Uasin Gishu County have marked 16 years since the promulgation of the Constitution of Kenya 2010, calling for stronger implementation of key constitutional provisions, including the independence of constitutional institutions, public participation, leadership integrity, media freedom and devolution.
Led by Benedine Kipruto of the Uasin Gishu Civil Society Network, the civil society representatives said the anniversary should not merely be an occasion to celebrate the gains made under the Constitution, but also an opportunity to reflect on areas where its implementation remains incomplete.
Kipruto said Kenyans must be given a genuine opportunity to participate in government decision-making and called for the passage of a clear legal framework to strengthen public participation.
“Public participation should not simply involve holding meetings and collecting views to fulfil a legal requirement. Citizens must be given an opportunity to understand proposals affecting them, contribute their views and have those views influence the decisions being made,” Kipruto said.
The organisations also called for stronger constitutional and independent institutions, particularly those charged with promoting accountability, integrity and the fight against corruption.
They said the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission should be granted greater powers and capacity to effectively tackle corruption and the misuse of public resources, describing graft as one of the biggest threats to the success of devolution in Kenya.
The issue of leadership and integrity under Chapter Six of the Constitution also featured prominently during the celebrations, with David Lelei of the Uasin Gishu Civil Society Network urging Kenyans to scrutinise leaders seeking elective positions.
“We want our leaders to be properly vetted and not just elect anybody without looking into their integrity, background and record,” Lele said.
James Gitaka Defends Media Freedom
The media fraternity also used the anniversary to highlight the need to protect and strengthen media freedom as guaranteed under the 2010 Constitution.
Speaking on behalf of the Uasin Gishu Journalists Association, James Gitaka said journalists remain proud of the constitutional protections accorded to the media, describing media freedom as one of the major democratic gains achieved under the new constitutional order.
However, Gitaka raised concern over attempts to introduce legislation that could undermine the freedoms enjoyed by journalists and media organisations.
“We are proud of the progress made under the 2010 Constitution in protecting media freedom. However, Parliament should not be used to pass laws that threaten or undermine that freedom. Any new legislation must strengthen the Constitution and not take away rights and freedoms that have already been guaranteed,” Gitaka said.
Gitaka urged Parliament to carefully scrutinise all proposed legislation affecting the media and ensure that no laws are enacted to intimidate journalists or restrict their ability to carry out their constitutional duty.
He said a free and independent media remains critical to democracy and accountability because journalists play an important role in informing citizens, exposing wrongdoing and providing a platform for public debate.
“The media must be allowed to operate freely. Journalists have a constitutional responsibility to keep the public informed and hold those in power accountable. Restricting media freedom ultimately denies citizens their right to access information,” Gitaka added.
Gitaka also commended the Media Council of Kenya, the Kenya Correspondents Association and other media partners for remaining vigilant in defending media freedom and the rights of journalists.
Calls for Stronger Devolution and Development Spending
The civil society organisations also expressed concern over the use of public funds by county governments, calling for stronger accountability mechanisms to ensure that more resources allocated to counties are directed towards development projects rather than being heavily absorbed by salaries and recurrent expenditure.
Stephen Ng’ososei of the Uasin Gishu Civil Society Network said devolution remains one of the greatest achievements of the 2010 Constitution because it has brought services and decision-making closer to the people.
However, he stressed that the success of devolution should be measured by the quality of services and development projects delivered to ordinary citizens.
“The true meaning of devolution will be measured by the services citizens receive. County resources must be reflected in health, water, infrastructure and other essential development projects that directly transform the lives of the people,” Ng’ososei said.
Ng’ososei also called for adequate resource allocation to county governments to enable them to effectively carry out their constitutional mandates and deliver essential services at the grassroots.
The issue of access to justice was also raised, with civil society representatives expressing concern that the high cost of accessing the formal justice system continues to lock out many vulnerable Kenyans, including women, young people and disadvantaged communities.
“Rights have little meaning if citizens cannot access the institutions responsible for protecting them because of financial or other barriers. We need to strengthen alternative justice mechanisms and ensure that justice is accessible to everyone,” Ng’ososei said.
As Kenya marks 16 years since the adoption of the 2010 Constitution, the civil society organisations said there was still significant work to be done to ensure that the promises contained in the Constitution become a reality in the daily lives of ordinary Kenyans.
They called on citizens, political leaders, Parliament, county governments and public institutions to uphold the principles of accountability, transparency, public participation, integrity, media freedom and effective devolution.
“A Constitution cannot transform a country by merely existing on paper. Its principles must be practised and reflected in the way leaders govern, institutions operate and citizens participate in the affairs of their country,” the civil society representatives said.
The organisations urged Kenyans to protect the gains made since 2010 and continue demanding accountability from leaders and public institutions to ensure the full implementation of the Constitution.
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