Kenya would be worse off without 2010 Constitution, says Kioni

Jubilee Party Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni on Spice FM. [Screengrab]

As Kenya marks 15 years since the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution, debate continues over whether the country is on the right track.

Jubilee Party Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni, speaking on Spice FM on Wednesday, August 27, expressed optimism, saying the Constitution has been good for the country, even though its promise is not fully realised.

"If it weren't for the 2010 Constitution, which we must celebrate, and which Kenyans should continue to understand how to make use of its provisions, given the kind of Executive we have today, we would be worse off than we are now," Kioni said.

He argues that the Constitution empowered Kenyan citizens to question authority and reject actions they disagree with, freedoms that were not guaranteed before.

But Kioni also criticised the country's failure to hold individuals accountable and accused constitutional commissions of neglecting their mandates.

"We had many constitutional commissions that were meant to be a major achievement for us. But those entrusted with running them have failed by not exercising the authority granted to them by the Constitution," he averred.

The Jubilee Sec-Gen also called for stronger civic education to deepen public understanding of constitutional provisions.

"If we had proper civic education, people would understand what impeachment means. Once impeached, you cannot start rallying people behind you, because you would only be misleading them. The Constitution has already declared you unfit to hold public office or lead in any capacity," he said.

He also revisited the Nyachae Commission, which shaped the draft Constitution, saying it was mishandled.

"I cannot say whether Nyachae himself bears any blame. What I can say is that it should have been allowed a minimum of 10 years, as there was room to extend its tenure. This would have addressed gaps such as how IPOA was crafted and the provisions for the National Police Service, issues that needed to be tidied up," he added.