| | In November 2005 Kenyans went to the polls to vote for or against a draft constitution, a majority rejecting the proposed document. This marked the most recent stage in a long-drawn-out process. Kenya's (still) existing constitution had been drawn up at its own Lancaster House Conference in London in 1962 and had been in force though under threat at some crisis moments since Independence in 1963. The only significant amendments to it were the move to a one-party system in the 1970s and then, under after widespread demonstrations and sustained pressure from civil society - and from international donors' threats - the amendment in 1992 to allow registration of other parties. This latter change heralded in a new period of civic political activity and competitive parliamentary and presidential elections in 1992, 1997 and 2002. But like the other few changes it only amended one small part (Section 2A in this case) of the overall document. |
