International Development Law Organization

Kenya

English

Since August 2010, Kenya has been implementing a new Constitution with an expanded Bill of Rights and ambitious government decentralization (devolution) processes. The transferring of a large number of national functions to 47 newly created county governments has strengthened accountability and public service delivery at local levels. Building on notable progress achieved over a relatively short period, efforts continue to align pre-existing laws with the Constitution and to enact new laws to implement its provisions. Particular focus is being placed on legal interventions that will address issues of transparency, gender equality, peace and security, and the climate crisis.

Kenya is a Member Party of IDLO, and since 2010 the organization has collaborated with the institutions responsible for implementing the key provisions of Kenya’s Constitution, particularly relating to the Bill of Rights, land and the environment, devolution, the judiciary, access to justice and representation of the people. A key component of IDLO’s work is advancing gender justice in the country’s courts and institutions, and operationalizing the gender provisions contained in the Constitution.

IDLO also works closely with the Judiciary of Kenya, including on commercial justice reforms, such as the implementation of e-justice solutions and the establishment of Small Claims Courts, which help to streamline and speed up court processes and expand access to justice. IDLO is also providing technical support to the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Court, and has helped develop policy and legal frameworks on managing and responding to SGBV.

  An overview of IDLO's work in Kenya

 

Resolving Electoral Disputes in Kenya

In 2010, the people of Kenya overwhelmingly voted in favor of a new Constitution, following a protracted struggle for constitutional reform spanning over two decades. Under the new Constitution, the elections of 2013 were the first in Kenya’s multiparty history with Electoral Dispute Resolution (EDR) processes in place. With these mechanisms, disputes can be resolved legally, peacefully and speedily – as opposed to resulting in violence or being allowed to drag through the courts. 

Energy for Development in Kenya

Ongoing reform of its energy legal framework has made Kenya a regional leader in promoting policies and laws that encourage sustainable investment in energy development the sector The country, however, still struggles to meet its energy demands. More than 33 million Kenyan citizens live without electricity.Properly harnessing resources, and targeting efforts at making eflectricity more accessible and affordable, would ensure that Kenya’s energy demands were fully and sustainably met.

Building Climate Resilience in Kenya

Climate change is threatening to reverse Kenya’s progress on poverty reduction and exacerbate economic and social inequality. In order to build resilience and outline a low-carbon approach to development, IDLO has assisted the Kenyan Government in drafting a comprehensive National Climate Change Action Plan 2013-2017. This technical assistance included compiling a Legal Preparedness Assessment Report and establishing a Climate Law Working Group, made up of law students from Kenya’s leading universities.

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Key Initiatives

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