TISA, Uraia Trust and Katiba Institute Call for Greater Accountability as Kenya Marks 16 Years of the Constitution
Kenya’s 16th anniversary of the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution has renewed calls for greater access to government information, citizen participation and accountability as the country reflects on the progress and challenges of constitutional implementation.
Speaking during Katiba Day celebrations, TISA Head of Programmes Alexander Riithi said full implementation of the Constitution requires the government to provide citizens with timely, accessible and accurate information whenever it is demanded.
Riithi noted that citizens are often unable to participate meaningfully in constitutional governance when government information is either presented in highly technical language or is not publicly available.
He said TISA Kenya has been working to simplify complex government information and present it in a way that ordinary citizens can understand and use.
“Above all today, should serve as a reminder that if the government does not provide adequate information in a manner that citizens can understand, it makes it very difficult for us to adequately participate in constitutionalism,” Riithi said.
He added: “At 16, the Constitution is old enough to know better, but young enough to keep asking difficult questions.”
Meanwhile, Uraia Trust Executive Director Oliver Waindi said Kenya’s constitutional journey has fundamentally been about determining how much power those in government should exercise over citizens.
Waindi traced the country’s journey from the concentration of power in the presidency, through the struggle for multiparty democracy, to the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution, which he said sought to transform the relationship between citizens and the State.
“Constitutions have always been about one fundamental question: how much power should those who govern have over those they govern?” Waindi said.
He described the Constitution as a teenager—old enough to ask difficult questions, independent enough to challenge what does not make sense, but still growing.
Katiba Institute Head of Litigation Chris Kerkering challenged Kenyans to exercise their sovereign power and resist attempts by leaders to determine what is best for citizens without meaningful public participation.
Kerkering said sovereignty gives citizens the power to make independent decisions and cannot simply be taken away by leaders.
As Kenya heads towards the 2027 General Election, Kerkering urged citizens to continue asking difficult questions, hold leaders to constitutional standards and demand a relationship with government founded on rights, accountability and participation.
“16 years in, the question is not just what we celebrate. It is what we demand,” he said.
The speakers called on Kenyans to make constitutionalism a daily practice by demanding information, questioning those in power and actively participating in governance.
The discussions were held under the theme #KatibaKwaGround, with participants emphasising that the Constitution must translate from a legal document into tangible rights, freedoms and opportunities for citizens.
