Kenya: Ruling Party Hijacks the People’s Constitution

Kenya’s civil society groups are protesting over a law that gives parliament sweeping powers to alter the country’s draft constitution, without involving the people. The parliament has been urged to repeal the law. Civil society groups argue that the new law interferes with the concept of a people-driven constitution. The problem heightened after President Mwai Kibaki in December silently assented to a controversial Bill that allows a simple majority of parliament to amend the draft constitution. The public only learned of the assent in the local newspapers January 25.