Five years after the Kenya Constitution 2010, a lot to hope for, more to rise up against

Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Kenya Constitution 2010. We celebrate it considering that it took years of struggle (at times violent) to get the current Constitution. Even though it was considered a compromise document given the number of competing interests that all demanded to have their views accommodated, it has been hailed as the most progressive in Africa. Kenyans today enjoy freedoms and rights they could only dream of a few years back.

The Bill of Rights, the freedoms of expression, choice, assembly and movement have not only helped in advancing democracy and development, they have helped in shrinking distance and space between the people. Devolution of authority and services has been the single most notable achievement of the 2010 Constitution. It has aided in spurring rapid development in the regions that would probably have taken longer, perhaps decades, were it left to the centralised system of government.