New Constitution– a peaceful win
on A Serendipitous Journey (Kenya), 09/Aug/2010 10:41, 34 days ago
Faith has been restored in peaceful democratic processes, as the referendum on the proposed Constitution was approved by 67% of Kenyan voters in a referendum last Wednesday.  Not only does this mean that new rights and laws to protect the average Kenyan have been instilled, it has also shown the national and international community that Kenya can is capable of carrying out peaceful voting processes. Among the biggest changes to the Constitution, which must be promulgated on or about August 20 are:- It reduces the power of the President and gives more power to local leaders.  It eliminates the position of Prime Minister and divides Parliament into 2 chambers: the National Assembly and the Senate. The new Senate will act as a check for the President’s powers. - It requires all members of Parliament to pay tax on their income.  (Kenyan MPs are currently among the highest paid in the world and do not currently pay any tax on their income.)  Equally, processes have been established allowing voters to recall their MPs, should they not perform their jobs adequately.- It creates a land commission and allows land which was acquired illegally to be recalled.  This will have significant implications on former political leaders who under previous leadership have acquired enormous plots of the country’s most fertile and valued land.- For women, it means higher representation in Parliament, rights to own / inherit property (in formerly when a woman was widowed she lost her right to the land she and her husband had been living on) and even gender balance on the leadership of corporate boards.  In terms of maternal health, the new Constitution allows for abortion when it is deemed that the mother’s life is in danger and provides for emergency treatment at any hospital.  (This was a very contentious issue.)- For persons with disabilities it means representation in Parliament with at least 2 Senate seats reserved for persons with disabilities, representation in the National Assembly and representation of at least 5% of elective and appointive bodies.  It also provides the right to be treated with dignity and respect; the right to education; reasonable access to all places, public transport and information; and the right to access materials and devices which help them overcome their constraints.- Kenyans now also have the right to become dual citizens, which is expected to increase investment by Kenyans who currently live abroad.