The Court of Appeal in Kenya has begun hearing a case seeking to overturn a high court ruling that halted President Uhuru Kenyatta’s bid to amend the country’s constitution.
Kenyatta, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga as well other supporters of the bid to change the constitution ahead of next year’s elections want the court decision that stopped the push to amend the 10-year law overturned.
The High Court had found that the President overstepped his mandate and broke the law, when he initiated and promoted a constitutional change.
Battle to amend Kenya’s constitution begins:
The High Court also found that the committee that led the process of changing the law was illegal.
Proponents of the change, popularly known in Kenya as the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), which followed a truce between Kenyatta and Odinga after the disputed 2017 presidential polls – hope the appellate court will salvage the process in time for the country to vote on the draft in a referendum ahead of elections next year.
Margaret Monyani on the matter:
