The right to participate in the government of one's country: an analysis of article 13 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights in the light of Kenya's 2007 political crisis

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Title:	The right to participate in the government of one's country: an analysis of article 13 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights in the light of Kenya's 2007 political crisis
Author:	Mbondenyi, Morris Kiwinda
Year:	2009
Periodical:	African Human Rights Law Journal (ISSN 1609-073X)
Volume:	9
Issue:	1
Pages:	183-202
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Kenya
Subjects:	African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights civil and political rights political participation jurisprudence
Abstract:	The article analyses the right to participate in the government of one's country under article 13 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights within the context of the post-election crisis experienced in Kenya in December 2007. It is argued that the crisis was a culmination of poor governance and undemocratic practices successively handed down from one political regime to another, from when the country attained its independence. The article maintains that since 1963, many Kenyans have been denied the enjoyment of the right to participate in government through political manipulation, corruption, intimidation, vote rigging, ethnicity and other related vices. Hence, the undermining of democracy and diverse citizenship rights have contributed extensively to the country's governance crisis, the labyrinth of which was exposed by the 2007 postelection events. Notes, ref., sum. [Journal abstract]