Kenya court to decide whether to hear cases on constitutional revision News
Kenya court to decide whether to hear cases on constitutional revision

[JURIST] Chief Justice Evan Gicheru of the Kenyan Court of Justice is scheduled to decide Thursday whether three separate court cases [JURIST report] filed by three different opposition groups of the Kenyan Parliament [government website] should be consolidated into one case and heard by the nation's highest court. The suits seek to enjoin Kenyan Attorney General Amos Wako [official website] from publishing the controversial Constitutional Bill, the final step in submitting the bill for approval by national referendum. The cases allege that the revision of the previously accepted Bomas draft of the constitution by Wako and Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki [official profile] is unconstitutional and that only parliament may introduce a draft constitution to the Kenyan Electoral Commission [official website]. The Constitution of Kenya Review Act requires that the draft constitution be submitted by August 24 in order allow the KEC time to set up the national referendum. All three submitting parties have requested the court to decide the case quickly to avoid having Wako publish the bill and the KEC set a date for a referendum before the merits of the case are heard. JURIST's Paper Chase has continuing coverage of Kenya [JURIST news report]. Kenya's Daily Nation has local coverage.