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A Jigsaw Puzzle or a Map? The Role of Treaties under Kenya's Constitution
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 November 2017
Abstract
Kenya's 2010 Constitution marks the first time that treaty law has been constitutionally declared part of Kenya's domestic law. However, the laconic drafting of the relevant provision leaves unanswered questions about the role of treaties. This article seeks to answer some of those questions, addresses conflicts between treaties and other laws, and concludes that treaties can be directly enforceable in domestic law unless they are expressly non-self-executing. Furthermore, domestic courts must apply treaties in accordance with the constitution, although the article also addresses the problems that this causes with article 103 of the UN Charter and the East African Community Treaty. Treaties that are applied directly domestically should be considered at a par with statutes enacted by the national Parliament and prevail over county laws. Human rights treaties should carry greater weight than conflicting statutes. Where a treaty is implemented into domestic legislation, the “parent” treaty should prevail where there is a conflict.
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- Copyright © SOAS, University of London 2017
Footnotes
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LLB (hons), LLM (international law), advocate of the High Court of Kenya. Consultant, Gumbo and Company Advocates, Nairobi, Kenya.
References
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6 RM and Another v Attorney General [2006] eKLR; Rono v Rono (2008) 1 KLR (G & F) 803.
7 Rono, ibid.
8 Ibid.
9 Ibid.
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17 Above at note 6.
18 One of the drafts preceding the current constitution, rejected in a referendum in 2005.
19 Constitution of Kenya Review Commission Final Report of the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission (2005) at 46, 151 and 153.
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25 2010 Constitution, art 2(6).
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27 TRA 2012, sec 6(1).
28 Id, sec 7(b).
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36 Id at 108.
37 Id at 112.
38 2010 Constitution, art 1(1).
39 TRA 2012, sec 3(3).
40 2010 Constitution, art 94(2).
41 TRA 2012, sec 6(1).
42 Id, sec 7(b).
43 Undurraga and Cook “Constitutional incorporation”, above at note 31 at 230–31.
44 Khanna v Attorney General and Others [2010] eKLR, per Warsame J at 1.
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47 Establishment of the East African Community Act 2000, sec 8(1).
48 Oppong “Re-imagining international law”, above at note 14 at 305.
49 Above at note 12.
50 2010 Constitution, art 2(1) and (3).
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55 The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development v The Southern African Litigation Centre (867/15) [2016] ZASCA 17 (15 March 2016), para 63.
56 2010 Constitution, art 143(4).
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60 For example, Basic Law, art 24(1) on the transfer of sovereign powers to international bodies and art 25 on the primacy of international law.
61 Decision of 15 December 2015, 2 BvL 1/12.
62 2010 Constitution, art 165(3)(d)(i).
63 McGimpsey and Another v Ireland and Others [1990] ILRM 441.
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65 Senegal Constitution, art 97.
66 2010 Constitution, art 2(4).
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68 Bomas Draft, art 3A(g): “The laws of Kenya comprise this Constitution and each of the following to the extent that it is consistent with this Constitution … customary international law, and international agreements, applicable to Kenya.”
69 PNC Draft, art 3(g): “The laws of Kenya comprise this Constitution and each of the following laws to the extent that it is consistent with this Constitution … customary international law, and international agreements applicable to Kenya.”
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73 ILC Conclusions of the Work, above at note 71, para 4.
74 Id, para 5.
75 Akehurst “The hierarchy of sources”, above at note 70.
76 ILC Conclusions of the Work, above at note 71, paras 24–25.
77 Jones v Saudi Arabia [2006] UKHL 26, para 66 per Lord Hoffman: “But the same approach cannot be adopted in international law, which is based upon the common consent of nations. It is not for a national court to ‘develop’ international law by unilaterally adopting a version of that law which, however desirable, forward-looking and reflective of values it may be, is simply not accepted by other states.”
78 Beatrice Wanjiku and Another v Attorney General and Another (2012) eKLR.
79 Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, art 231(4).
80 Constitution of Namibia, art 144.
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82 Above at note 22.
83 David Macharia v Republic criminal appeal 497 of 2007.
84 RPM v PKM (2011) eKLR; Beatrice Wanjiku, above at note 78.
85 TRA 2012, sec 3(4).
86 See para 21.
87 TRA 2012, secs 7(m) and 8(3).
88 Verdier and Versteeg “Modes of domestic incorporation”, above at note 4 at 9.
89 Above at note 20, para 65.
90 Per Lord Hoffman in Jones v Saudi Arabia, above at note 77, para 63.
91 Above at note 6.
92 For example, art 20(3)(b): “In applying a provision of the Bill of Rights, a court shall … adopt the interpretation that most favours the enforcement of a right or fundamental freedom.”
93 UN Charter, art 93.
94 Oppong “Re-imagining international law”, above at note 14 at 318.
95 RM, above at note 6.
96 David Njoroge Macharia v Republic criminal appeal 497 of 2007 at 11, citing Advocats Sans Frontières (on behalf of Bwampamye) v Burundi, African commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights comm no 231/00 (2000) and also citing Prosecution v Sam Hinga Norman, Moinina Fofanah and Alieu Kondowa case no SCSL-04-14-T (CDF).
97 Andrew Omtata Okoiti and Others v Attorney General and Others constitutional petition 3 of 2010 IICDRC [2010] eKLR; Zipporah Mathara, above at note 22; David Macharia v Rep criminal appeal 497 of 2007.
98 Gathungu v Attorney General and Others (2010) eKLR.
99 Nyong'o, above at note 46 at 415.
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101 Centre for Minority Rights Development (Kenya) and Minority Rights Group International on behalf of Endorois Welfare Council v Kenya comm no 276/2003.
102 African Commission v Republic of Kenya appln no 006/2012, judgment of May 2017, para 5.
103 Id, para 227.
104 AL Young “Whose convention rights are they anyway?” (12 February 2012), available at: <http://ukconstitutionallaw.org/2012/02/12/alison-l-young-whose-convention-rights-are-they-anyway/> (last accessed 10 September 2017).
105 See for example Gathungu, above at note 98, challenging the constitutionality of ICC investigations within Kenya.
106 Ibid.
107 Nollkaemper “The effect of treaties”, above at note 53 at 123.
108 Per the separate opinion of Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji in Decision on Defence Applications for Judgment of Acquittal no ICC-01/09-01/11 (5 April 2016), para 142 (emphasis added).
109 Nollkaemper “The effect of treaties”, above at note 53 at 127.
110 Id at 127 and 129.
111 TRA 2012, sec 7(i).
112 de Mestral and Fox-Decent “Rethinking the relationship”, above at note 59 at 644.
113 Nollkaemper “The effect of treaties”, above at note 53 at 129.
114 Established 22 October 2010.
115 Taskforce on Devolved Government Final Report of the Taskforce on Devolved Government (2012) vol 1 at 82.
116 2010 Constitution, art 163(6). See also the Kenyan Supreme Court case In Re The Matter of The Interim Independent Electoral Commission constitutional appln 2 of 2011, para 40, stating that the phrase “any matter concerning county government” incorporates any national-level process bearing a significant impact on the conduct of county government.
117 Taskforce on Devolved Government Final Report, above at note 115 at 25.
118 2010 Constitution, art 187(1).
119 Id, art 187(2)(b).
120 See id, 4th sched.
121 This objective reads: “The State shall be guided by the principle of decentralisation and devolution of governmental functions and powers to the people at appropriate levels where they can best manage and direct their own affairs.”
122 Uganda Local Governments Act 1997, sec 175(2).
123 A de Mestral and E Fox-Decent “Rethinking the relationship”, above at note 59 at 594.
124 2010 Constitution, art 96(1).
125 Id, art 163(6).
126 Okenyo Omwansa George and Another v Attorney General and Two others [2012] eKLR.
127 See also the UN Charter.
128 “In pursuance of the provisions of paragraph 4 of this Article, the Partner States undertake to make the necessary legal instruments to confer precedence of Community organs, institutions and laws over similar national ones.”
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130 Nollkaemper “The effect of treaties”, above at note 53 at 144.
131 Kenya Section of the International Commission of Jurists and Others v Attorney General and Others misc criminal appln 685 of 2010 [2011] eKLR at 17, per Ombija J: “I subscribe to the view that the Rome Statute obligations are in any case customary international law which a State cannot contravene.” While many of the provisions of the Rome Statute reflect customary international law, it is not the case that the treaty itself is now part of customary international law.
132 ILC Conclusions of the Work, above at note 71.
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