Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-fbnjt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-07T05:21:17.208Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

‘The Kenyas we don't want’: popular thought over constitutional review in Kenya, 2002

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 May 2010

Stephanie Diepeveen
Stephanie Diepeveen
Affiliation:
Jesus College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB4 8BL, UK Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Evidence of political instability in Kenya emerged through the organised and spontaneous violence following the 2007 elections. Understanding the underlying reasons for popular contestations of power and involvement in violence depends on understanding Kenyans' perceptions of existing and desirable political institutions. By analysing recommendations made in the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission public hearings in each province in 2002, this article explores the viewpoints of those outside high politics in Kenya, teasing out the continuities and divergences in popular thought about political relations in Kenya at the end of the Moi years, and thus providing insights into how Kenyans understand their relationship with those in power, revealing that amidst diverse experiences, disillusionment pervades Kenyans' perceptions of political relations.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Modern African Studies , Volume 48 , Issue 2 , June 2010 , pp. 231 - 258
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Abrams, P. D. 1979. Kenya's Land Resettlement Story. Nairobi: Challenge Publishers.Google Scholar
Ajulu, R. 2002. ‘Politicised ethnicity, competitive politics and conflict in Kenya: a historical perspective’, African Studies 61, 2: 251–68.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Anderson, B. 1983. Imagined Communities. London & New York: Verso.Google Scholar
Anderson, D. 2005. ‘“Yours in struggle for Majimbo”: nationalism and the party politics of decolonization in Kenya, 1955–64’, Journal of Contemporary History 40, 3: 547–64.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Atieno-Odhiambo, E. S. 2002. ‘Hegemonic enterprises and instrumentalities of survival: ethnicity and democracy in Kenya’, African Studies 61, 2: 223–49.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bannon, A. 2007. ‘Designing a constitution-drafting process: lessons from Kenya’, The Yale Law Journal 116: 1824–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Berman, B. 1992. ‘Structure and process in the bureaucratic states of colonial Africa’, in Berman, B. & Lonsdale, J., eds. Unhappy Valley: conflict in Kenya and Africa, Book One: state and class. London: James Currey, 140–76.Google Scholar
Berman, B. 1998. ‘Ethnicity, patronage and the African state: the politics of uncivil nationalism’, African Affairs 97, 388: 305–41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Berman, B. & Lonsdale, J.. 1992. ‘Coping with the contradictions: the development of the colonial state, 1895–1914’, in Berman, & Lonsdale, , eds. Unhappy Valley, 77–100.Google Scholar
Carotenuto, M. & Luongo, K.. 2009. ‘Dala or diaspora? Obama and the Luo community of Kenya’, African Affairs 108, 431: 197–219.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Catholic Bishops of Kenya (CBK). 1996. ‘Our social responsibility’, pastoral letter of the Bishops of Kenya, Nairobi: Paulines Publications Africa.Google Scholar
CBK. 1999. ‘On the economy of Kenya’, pastoral letter of the Bishops of Kenya, Nairobi: Paulines Publications Africa.Google Scholar
Chabal, P. 1992. Power in Africa: an essay in political interpretation. London: MacMillan.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chitere, P., Chweya, L., Masya, J., Tostensen, A. & Waiganjo, K.. 2006. Kenya Constitutional Documents: a comparative analysis. Bergen: Chr. Michelsen Institute.Google Scholar
Cottrell, J. & Ghai, Y.. 2007. ‘Constitution making and democratization in Kenya (2000–2005)’, Democratization 14, 1: 1–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dahl, R. 1971. Polyarchy. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.Google Scholar
Gathii, J. 2008. ‘Popular authorship and constitution making: comparing and contrasting the DRC and Kenya’, William and Mary Law Review 49: 1109–38.Google Scholar
Haugerud, A. 1997. The Culture of Politics in Modern Kenya. Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Hazelwood, A. 1979. The Economics of Kenya: the Kenyatta era. Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Kagwanja, P. M. 2001. ‘Politics of marionettes: extra-legal violence and the 1997 elections in Kenya’, in Rutten, M. & Mazrui, A., eds. Out for the Count: the 1997 general elections and prospects for democracy in Kenya. Kampala: Fountain Publishers, 72–100.Google Scholar
Kagwanja, P. M. 2003. ‘Facing Mount Kenya or facing Mecca? The Mungiki, ethnic violence and the politics of the Moi succession in Kenya, 1987–2002’, African Affairs 102, 406: 25–49.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC). 1998. Killing the Vote: state sponsored violence and flawed elections in Kenya. Nairobi: KHRC.Google Scholar
Kenyatta, J. 1968. ‘Appendix of Speeches’, in Kenyatta, J., Suffering Without Bitterness. Nairobi: East African Publishing House.Google Scholar
Kibwana, K. 2002. ‘The church in the present moment of Africa, with particular attention to Kenya’, in Ryan, P., ed. The Role of Christians in Politics in Africa Today. Nairobi: Paulines Publications Africa, 7–14.Google Scholar
Kimenyi, M. S. 2006. ‘The demand for power diffusion: a case study of the 2005 constitutional referendum voting in Kenya’, Economics Working Papers, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT.Google Scholar
Klopp, J. 2001. ‘Electoral despotism in Kenya: land, patronage and resistance in the multi-party context’, a thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, Department of Political Science, McGill University.Google Scholar
Klopp, J & Kamungi, P.. 2008. ‘Violence and elections: will Kenya collapse?’, World Policy Journal 24, 4: 11–18.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Law Society of Kenya (LSK), International Commission of Jurists (Kenya chapter) (ICJ-Kenya) & Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC). 1994. The Kenya We Want: proposal for a model constitution. Nairobi: LSK, ICJ-Kenya and KHRC.Google Scholar
Lonsdale, J. 2000. ‘KAU's cultures: imaginations of community and constructions of leadership in Kenya after the Second World War’, Journal of African Cultural Studies 13, 1: 107–24.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lonsdale, J. 2003. ‘Authority, gender and violence: the war within Mau Mau's fight for land and freedom’, in Odhiambo, E. S. Atieno & Lonsdale, J., eds. Mau Mau and Nationhood: arms, authority and narration. Oxford: James Currey, 46–75.Google Scholar
Lynch, G. 2006. ‘The fruits of perception: “ethnic politics” and the case of Kenya's constitutional referendum’, African Studies 65, 2: 233–70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MacArthur, J. 2008. ‘How the West was won: regional politics and prophetic promises in the 2007 Kenya elections’, Journal of Eastern African Studies 2, 2: 227–41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morrison, L. 2007. ‘The nature of decline: distinguishing myth from reality in the case of the Luo of Kenya’, Journal of Modern African Studies 45, 1: 117–42.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mutua, M. 2008. Kenya's Quest for Democracy: taming leviathan. London: Lynne Rienner.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nasong'o, S. W. 2007. ‘Negotiating new rules of the game: social movements, civil society and the transition’, in Murunga, G. R. & Nasongo'o, S. W., eds. Kenya: the struggle for democracy. London: CODESRIA, 19–57.Google Scholar
Ndegwa, S. 1997. ‘Citizenship and ethnicity: an examination of two transition moments in Kenyan politics’, American Political Science Review 91, 3: 599–616.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Njoya, T. 2003. The Divine Tag on Democracy. Yaounde, Cameroun: CLE-CIPCRE.Google Scholar
Nottidge, C. P. R. & Goldsack, J. R.. 1966. The Million Acre Scheme 1962–1966. Nairobi: East African Publishing House.Google Scholar
Oded, A. 2000. Islam and Politics in Kenya. London: Lynne Rienner.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Odinga, O. 1967. Not Yet Uhuru. London: Heinemann.Google Scholar
Ogot, B. A. 1995. ‘Transition from single-party to multiparty political system, 1989–93’, in Ogot, B. A. & Ochieng, W. R., eds. Decolonization and Independence in Kenya, 1940–93. London: James Currey, 239–61.Google Scholar
Omolo, K. 2002. ‘Political ethnicity in the democratisation process in Kenya’, African Studies 61, 2: 209–21.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Oucho, J. 2002. Undercurrents of Ethnic Conflict in Kenya. Leiden: Koninklijke Brill NV.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Oucho, J. 2007. ‘Migration and regional development in Kenya.’ Development 50: 88–93.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Oyugi, O. 2002. ‘The role of NGOs in fostering development and good governance at the local level in Africa with focus on Kenya’, paper prepared for CODESRIA's 10th General Assembly, Kampala, 8–12 December.Google Scholar
Ranger, T. 1983. ‘The invention of tradition in colonial Africa’, in Hobsbawm, E. & Ranger, T., eds. The Invention of Tradition. Cambridge University Press, 211–62.Google Scholar
Saward, M. 1994. ‘Democracy theory and indices of democratisation’, in Beetham, D., ed. Defining and Measuring Democracy. London: Sage, 6–24.Google Scholar
Southall, R. 1999. ‘Re-forming the state? Kleptocracy and the political transition in Kenya’, Review of African Political Economy 26, 79: 93–108.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylor, C. 1994. ‘The politics of recognition’, in Gutmann, A, ed. Multiculturalism: examining the politics of recognition. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 25–73.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Whitaker, B. E. & Giersch, J.. 2009. ‘Voting on a constitution: implications for democracy in Kenya’, Journal of Contemporary African Studies 27, 1: 1–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Newspapers (published in Nairobi except as stated)

BBC News, London; East African Standard; The East African; The Nation; Weekly Review.

Primary documents

Numerous other verbatim reports of constituency public hearings were consulted in preparing this article but are not explicitly cited.

BBC Monitoring 1999. ‘Moi advises young people “to refuse to be used” in violence’, text of report by KBC Radio, Nairobi, 10:00 GMT 2 February 1999, BBC Monitoring Africa, 2.2.1999.

BBC Monitoring 2000a. ‘President Moi welcomes opposition party's willingness for coalition’, text of a report by KBC Radio, Nairobi, 10:00 GMT 19 December 2000, BBC Monitoring Africa, 19.12.2000.

BBC Monitoring 2000b. ‘President's New Year address in English – full text’, text of a report by KBC Radio, Nairobi, 21:00 GMT 31 December 2000, BBC Monitoring Africa, 31.12.2000.

Catholic Justice and Peace Commission (CJPC). 1999. Good Constitution God's Gift. Lenten Campaign.

Constitution of Kenya Review Commission (CKRC). 2001a. Reviewing the Constitution. Nairobi: CKRC.

CKRC. 2001b. The Constitutional Review Process in Kenya: issues and questions for public hearings. Nairobi: CKRC.

CKRC. 2001c. Making Informed Choices: a curriculum for civic education. Nairobi: Civic Education for Marginalised Communities, Constitution and Reform Education Consortium, Ecumenical Civic Education Programme, and the Gender Consortium.

CKRC. 2002a. ‘Verbatim report of constituency public hearings, Kieni constituency’, held at Mweiga Town Catholic Hall, 18 April.

CKRC. 2002b. ‘Verbatim report of constituency public hearings, Tetu constituency’, held at Aguthi Secondary School, 19 April.

CKRC. 2002c. ‘Verbatim report of constituency public hearings, Changamwe constituency’, held at Quebec Primary School, 2 May.

CKRC. 2002d. ‘Verbatim report of constituency public hearings, Kisauni constituency’, held at Baluchi Hall, 6 May.

CKRC. 2002e. ‘Verbatim report of constituency public hearings, Likoni constituency’, held at Likoni Secondary School, 2 May.

CKRC. 2002f. ‘Verbatim report of constituency public hearings, Manyatta constituency’, held at Kigare T.T.C., 22 May.

CKRC. 2002g. ‘Verbatim report of constituency public hearings, Dagoretti constituency’, held at Waithaka Social Hall, 29 May.

CKRC. 2002h. ‘Verbatim report of constituency public hearings, Embakasi constituency’, held at Dandora Kinyago School (Gitari Marigu), 28 May.

CKRC. 2002i. ‘Verbatim report of constituency public hearings, Embakasi constituency’, held at Mukuru Community Centre, 29 May.

CKRC. 2002j. ‘Verbatim report of constituency public hearings, Kasarani constituency’, held at Githurai Catholic Church Hall, 28 May.

CKRC. 2002k. ‘Verbatim report of constituency public hearings, Kasarani constituency’, held at Mathare North Social Hall, 29 May.

CKRC. 2002l. ‘Verbatim report of constituency public hearings, Starehe constituency’, held at Kariokor Social Hall, 29 May.

CKRC. 2002m. ‘Verbatim report of constituency public hearings, Westlands constituency’, held at Consolata Shrine, 29 May.

CKRC. 2002n. ‘Verbatim report of constituency public hearings, Fafi constituency’, held at Bura – Garissa, 8 June.

CKRC. 2002o. ‘Verbatim report of constituency public hearings, Lagdera constituency’, held at Liboi, 8 June.

CKRC. 2002p. ‘Final report: Kisumu Town East constituency public hearings, June 12 and 13, 2002’, held at Kibos Railway Station and Pandpieri Catholic Centre.

CKRC. 2002q. ‘Final report: Kisumu Town West constituency public hearings, June 14 and 17, 2002’, held at Kisumu Social Hall and Otonglo Market.

CKRC. 2002r. ‘Verbatim report of constituency public hearings, Kuresoi constituency’, held at Keringet County Hall, 15 July.

CKRC. 2002s. ‘Verbatim report of constituency public hearings, Nakuru Town constituency’, held at Nakuru Old Town Hall, 11 July.

CKRC. 2002t. ‘Verbatim report of constituency Public Hearings, Rongai constituency’, held at Rongai ACK, 11 July.

CKRC. 2002u. ‘Verbatim report of constituency public hearings, Rongai constituency’, held at Kiboronjo Full Gospel Church, 12 July.

CKRC. 2002v. ‘Verbatim report of constituency public hearings, Ikolomani constituency’, held at Musoli Girls Pre-school Hall, 6 August.

CKRC. 2002w. ‘Verbatim report of constituency public hearings, Lurambi constituency’, held at Chebuyusi Secondary School, 30 July.

CKRC. 2002x. ‘Verbatim report of constituency public hearings, Lurambi constituency’, held at Church of God, Eshisiru, 31 July.

CKRC. 2002y. ‘Verbatim report of constituency public hearings, Shinyalu constituency’, held at Mukumu Church Hall, 5 August.

CKRC. 2005. Report of the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission. Vol. iii.Commission's Method of Work.

Ecumenical Civic Education Programme (ECEP). 2002. Making Informed Choices: a booklet for civic education. Nairobi: Ecumenical Civic Education Programme (ECEP), Civic Education for Marginalized Communities (CEDMAC), Reform Education Consortium (CRE-CO), and the Gender Consortium.