CHAPTER V

Protection of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms of the Individual

Fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual.

70. Whereas every person in Kenya is entitled to the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual, that is to say, the right, whatever his race, tribe, place of origin or residence or other local connexion, political opinions, colour, creed or sex, but subject to respect for the rights and freedoms of others and for the public interest, to each and all of the following, namely:-

(a)  life, liberty, security of the person and the protection of the law;

(b)  freedom of conscience, of expression and of assembly and association; and

(c)  protection for the privacy of his home and other property and from deprivation of property without compensation,

the provisions of the Chapter shall have effect for the purpose of affording protection to those rights and freedoms subject to such limitations of that protection as are contained in those provisions, being limitations designed to ensure that the enjoyment of those rights and freedoms by any individual does not prejudice the rights and freedoms of others or the public interest.

Protection of right to life.

71.          (1)  No person shall be deprived of his life intentionally save in execution of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence under the law of Kenya of which he has been convicted.

(2)     Without prejudice to any liability for a contravention of any other law with respect to the use of force in those cases hereinafter mentioned, a person shall not be regarded as having been deprived of his life in contravention of this section if he dies as the result of the use of force to an extent as is reasonably justifiable in the circumstances of the case:-

(a)     for the defence of any person from violence or for the defence of property;

(b)     in order to effect a lawful arrest or to prevent the escape of a person lawfully detained;

(c)     for the purpose of suppressing a riot, insurrection or mutiny; or

(d)     in order to prevent the commission by that person of a criminal offence,

or if he dies as the result of a lawful act of war.

Protection of right to personal liberty.

20 of 1987.

4 of 1988, s. 5.

72.          (1)  No person shall be deprived of his personal liberty save as may be authorised by law in any of the following cases:–

(a)    in execution of the sentence or order of a court, whether established for Kenya or some other country, in respect of a criminal offence of which he has been convicted;

(b)    in execution of the order of the High Court or the Court of Appeal punishing him for contempt of that court or of another court or tribunal;

(c)    in execution of the order of a court made to secure the fulfilment of an obligation imposed on him by law;

(d)    for the purpose  of bringing him before a court in execution of the order of a court;

(e)    upon reasonable suspicion of his having committed, or being about to commit, a criminal offence under the law of Kenya;

(f)     in the case of a person who has not attained the age of eighteen years, for the purpose of his education or welfare;

(g)    for the purpose of preventing the spread of an infectious or contagious disease;

(h)    in the case of a person who is, or is reasonably suspected to be, of unsound mind, addicted to drugs or alcohol, or a vagrant, for the purpose of his care or treatment or the protection  of the community;

(i)      for the purpose of preventing the unlawful entry of that person into Kenya, or for the purpose of effecting the expulsion, extradition or other lawful removal of that person from Kenya or for the purpose of restricting that person while he is being conveyed through Kenya in the course of his extradition or removal as a convicted prisoner form one country to another; or

(j)      to such extent as may be necessary in the execution of a lawful order requiring that person to remain within Kenya or prohibiting him from being within such an area, or to such extent as may be reasonably justifiable for the taking of proceedings against that person relating to the making of any such order, or to such extent as may be reasonably justifiable for restraining  that person during a visit that he is permitted to make to a part of Kenya in which, in Consequence of the order, his presence would otherwise be unlawful.

(2)   A person who is arrested or detained shall be informed as soon as reasonably practicable, in a language that he understands, of the reasons for his arrest or detention.

(3)  A person who is arrested or detained:-

(a)   for the purpose of bringing him before a court in execution of the order of a court; or

(b)   upon reasonable suspicion of his having committed, or being about to commit, a criminal offence,

and who is not released, shall be brought before a court as soon as is reasonably practicable, and where he is not brought before a court within twenty-four hours of his arrest or from the commencement of his detention, or within fourteen days of his arrest or detention where he is arrested or detained upon reasonable suspicion of his having committed or about to commit an offence punishable by death, the burden of proving that the person arrested or detained has been brought before a court as soon as is reasonably practicable shall rest upon any person alleging that the provisions of this subsection have been complied with.

(4)  Where a person is brought before a court in execution of the order of a court in any proceedings or upon suspicion of his having committed or being about to commit an offence, he shall not be thereafter further held in custody in connexion with those proceedings or that offence save upon the order of a court.

(5)  If a person arrested or detained as mentioned in subsection (3) (b) is not tried within a reasonable time, then, without prejudice to any further proceedings that may be brought against him, he shall be released either unconditionally or upon reasonable conditions, including in particular such conditions as are reasonably necessary to ensure that he appears at a later date for trial or for proceedings preliminary to trial.

(6)  A person who is unlawfully arrested or detained by another person shall be entitled to compensation therefor from  that other person.

Protection from slavery and forced labour.

73.         (1)  No person shall be held in slavery or servitude.

(2)   No person shall be required to perform forced labour.

(3)   For the purposes of this section “forced labour” does not include:-

(a)  labour required in consequence of the sentence or order of a court;

(b)  labour required of a person while he is lawfully detained that, though not required in consequence of the sentence or order of a court, it is reasonably necessary in the interests of hygiene or for the maintenance of the place at which he is detained;

(c)  labour required of a member of a disciplined force in pursuance of his duties as such or, in the case of a person who has conscientious objections to service  as a member  of an armed force, labour that that person is required by law to perform in place of such service;

(d)  labour required during a period when Kenya is at war or an order under section 85 is in force or in the event of any other emergency or calamity,   that threatens the life or well-being of the community, to the extent that the requiring of  labour is reasonably justifiable, in the circumstances of a situation of that other emergency or calamity, for the purpose of dealing with that situation; or

(e)  Labour reasonably required as part of reasonable and normal communal or other civic obligations.

Protection from inhuman treatment.

74.          (1)  No person shall be subject to torture or to inhuman or degrading punishment or other treatment.

(2)     Nothing contained in or done under the authority o any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of this section to the extent that the law in question authorises the infliction of any description of punishment that was lawful in Kenya on 11^th December, 1963.

Protection from deprivation of property.

13 of 1977, s. 3.

75.          (1)  No property of any description shall be compulsorily taken possession of, and no interest in or right over property of any description shall be compulsorily acquired except where the following conditions are satisfied:-

(a)      the taking of possession or acquisition is necessary in public order, public morality, public health, town and country planning or the development or utilisation of property so as to promote the public benefit; and

(b)      the necessity therefor is such as to afford reasonable justification for the causing of hardship that may result to any person having an interest in or right over the property; and

(c)      provision is made by a law applicable to that taking of possession or acquisition for the prompt payment of full compensation.

(2)  Every person having an interest or right in or over property which is compulsorily taken possession of or whose interest in or right over any property is compulsorily acquired shall have a right of direct access to the High Court for:-

(a)   the determination of his interest or right, the legality of the taking of possession or acquisition of the property, interest or right, and the amount of any compensation to which he is entitled; and

(b)   the purpose of obtaining prompt payment of that compensation;

Provided that if Parliament so provides in relation to a matter referred to in paragraph (a) the right of access shall be by way of appeal (exercisable as of right at the instance of the person having the right or interest in the property) from a tribunal or authority, other than the High Court, having jurisdiction under any law to determine that matter.

(3) The Chief Justice may make rules with respect to the practice and procedure of the High Court or any other tribunal or authority in relation to the jurisdiction conferred on the High Court by subsection (2) or exercisable by the other tribunal or authority for the purposes of that subsection (including rules with respect to the time within which applications or appeals to the High Court or applications to the other tribunal or authority may be brought).

(4) and (5) (Deleted by 13 of 1977, s. 3).

(6) Nothing contained in or done under the authority of any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of subsection (1) or (2):-

(a)    to the extent that the law in question makes provision for the taking of possession or acquisition of property:-

(i)                 in satisfaction of any tax, duty , rate, cess or other impost;

(ii)      by way of penalty for breach of the law, whether under civil process or after conviction of a criminal offence under the law of Kenya;

(i)                 as an incident of a lease, tenancy, mortgage, charge, bill of sale, pledge or contract;

(ii)               in the execution of judgements or orders of a court in proceedings for the determination of civil rights or obligations;

(iii)              in circumstances where it is reasonably necessary so to do because the property  is in dangerous state or injurious to the health of human beings, animals or plants;

(iv)             in consequence of any law with respect to the limitation of actions; or

(v)              for so long only  as may be necessary for the purposes of an examination, investigation, trial or inquiry or, in the case of land, for the purposes of the carrying out thereon of work of soil conservation or the conservation of other natural resources or work relating to agricultural development or improvement (being work relating to the development or improvement that the owner or occupier of the land has been required, and has without reasonable excuse refused or failed, to carry out).

And  except so far as that provision or, as the case may be, the thing done under the authority thereof is shown not to be reasonably justifiable in a democratic society; or

(b)    to the extent that the law in question  makes provision for the taking of possession or acquisition of:-

(i)                 enemy property;

(ii)               property of a deceased person, a person of unsound mind or a person who has not attained the age of eighteen years, for the purpose of its administration for the benefit of the persons entitled to the beneficial interest therein;

(iii)              property of a person adjudged bankrupt or a body corporate in liquidation, for the purpose of its administration for the benefit of the creditors of the bankrupt or body corporate and, subject thereto, for the benefit of other persons entitled to the beneficial interest in the property; or

(iv)             property subject to a trust, for the purpose of vesting the property in persons appointed as trustees under the instrument creating the trust or by a court or, by order of a court, for the purpose of giving effect to the trust.

(7)  Nothing contained in or done under the authority of an Act of  Parliament shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of this section to the extent that the Act in question makes provision for the compulsory taking possession of property or the compulsory acquisition of any interest in or right over property where that property, interest or right is vested in a body corporate, established by law for public purposes, in which no moneys have been invested other than moneys provided by parliament.

Protection against arbitrary search or entry.

76.          (1)  Except with his own consent, no person shall be subjected to the search of his person or his property or the entry by others on his premises.

(2)     Nothing contained in or done under the authority of any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of this section to the extent that the law in question makes provision:-

(a)   that is reasonably required in the interest of defence, public safety, public order, public morality, public health, town and country planning, the development and utilisation of mineral resources, or the development or utilisation of any other property in such a manner as to promote the public benefit;

(b)   that is reasonably required for the purpose of promoting the rights or freedoms of other persons;

(c)   that authorises an officer or agent of the Government of Kenya, or of a local government authority, or of a body corporate established by law for public purposes, to enter on the premises of a person in order to inspect those premises or anything thereon for the purpose of a tax, rate or due or in order to carry out work connected with property that is lawfully on those premises and that belongs to that Government, authority or body corporate, as the case may be; or

(d)   that authorises, for the purpose of enforcing the judgement or order of a court in civil proceedings, the entry upon premises by order of a court.

and  except so far as that provision or, as the case may be, anything done under the authority thereof is shown not to be reasonably justifiable in a democratic society.

Provision to secure protection of law.

77.          (1)  If a person is charged with criminal offence, then, unless the charge is withdrawn, the case shall be afforded a fair hearing within a reasonable time by an independent and impartial court established by law.

(2)    Every person who is charged with a criminal offence:-

(a)  shall be presumed to be innocent until he is proved or has pleaded guilty;

(b)  shall be informed as soon as reasonably practicable, in a language that he understands and in detail, of the nature of the offence charged;

(c)  shall be given adequate  time and facilities for the preparation of his defence;

(d)  shall be  permitted to defend himself before the court in person or by a legal representative of his own choice;

(e)  shall be afforded facilities to examine in person or by his legal representative the witnesses called by the prosecution before the court and to obtain the attendance and carry out the examination of witnesses to testify on his behalf before the court on the same conditions as those applying to witnesses called by the prosecution; and

(f)    shall be permitted to have without payment the assistance of an interpreter if he cannot understand the language used at the trial of the charge,

and  except with his own consent the trial shall not take place in his absence unless he so conducts himself as to render the continuance of the proceedings in his presence impracticable and the court has ordered him to be removed and the trial to proceed in his absence.

(3)     When a person is tried for a criminal offence, the accused person or a person authorised by him in that behalf shall, if he so requires and subject to payment of such reasonable fee as may be prescribed by law, be given within a reasonable time after judgement a copy for the use of the accused person of any record of the proceedings made by or on behalf of the court.

(4)     No person shall be held to be guilty of a criminal offence on account of an act or omission that did not, at the time it took place, constitute such an offence, and no penalty shall be imposed for a criminal offence that is severer in degree or description than the maximum penalty that might have been imposed for that offence at the time when it was committed.

(5)     No person who shows that he has been tried by a competent court for a criminal offence and either convicted or acquitted shall again be tried for that offence or for any other criminal offence of which he could have been convicted at the trial of that offence, save upon the order of a superior court in the course of appeal or review proceedings relating to the conviction or acquittal.

(6)     No person shall be tried for a criminal offence if he shows that he has been pardoned for that offence.

(7)     No person who is tried for a criminal offence shall be compelled to give evidence at the trial.

(8)     No person shall be convicted of a criminal offence unless that offence is defined, and the penalty therefor is ;prescribed, in a written law;

Provided that nothing in this subsection shall prevent a court from punishing a person for contempt notwithstanding that the act or omission constituting the contempt is not defined in a written law and the penalty therefor is not so prescribed.

(9)   A court or other adjudicating authority prescribed by law for the determination of the existence or extent of a civil right or obligation shall be established by law and shall be independent and impartial; and where proceedings for such a determination are instituted by a person before such a court or other adjudicating authority, the case shall be given a fair hearing within a reasonable time.

(10)  Except with the agreement of all the parties thereto, all proceedings of every court and proceedings for the determination of the existence or extent of any civil right or obligation before any other adjudicating authority, including the announcement of the decision of the court or other authority, shall be held in public.

(11)  Nothing in subsection (10) shall prevent the court or other adjudicating authority from excluding from the proceedings persons other than the parties thereto and their legal representatives to such extent as the court or other authority:-

(a)       may be law be empowered to do any may consider necessary or expedient in circumstances where publicity would prejudice the interests of justice or in interlocutory proceedings or in the interests of public morality, the welfare of persons under the age of eighteen years or the protection of the private lives of persons concerned in the proceedings; or

(b)       may by law be empowered or required to do in the interests of defence, public safety or public order.

(12)              Nothing contained in or done under the authority of any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of:-

(a)     subsection (2) (a)to the extent that the law in question imposes upon a person charged with a criminal offence the burden of proving particular facts;

(b)     subsection (2) (e) to the extent that the law in question imposes conditions that must be satisfied if witnesses called to testify on behalf of an accused person are to be paid their expenses out of public funds; or

(c)     subsection (5) to the extent that the law in question authorised a court to try a member of a disciplined force for a criminal offence notwithstanding a trial and conviction or acquittal of that member under the disciplinary law of that force, so, however, that a court so trying such a member and convicting him shall in sentencing him to any punishment take into account any punishment awarded him under that disciplinary law.

(13)              In the case of any person who is held in lawful detention, subsection (1), paragraphs (d) and (e) so subsection (2) and subsection (3) shall not apply in relation to his trial for a criminal offence under the law regulating the discipline of persons held in lawful detention.

(14)              Nothing contained in subsection (2) (d) shall be construed as entitling a person to legal representation at public expense.

(15)              In this section “criminal offence” means a criminal offence under the law of Kenya.

Protection of freedom of conscience.

78.(1)  Except with his own consent, no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his freedom of conscience, and for the purposes of this section that freedom includes freedom of thought and of religion, freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others, and both in public and in private, to manifest and propagate his religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance.

(2)   Every religious community shall be entitled, at its own expense, to establish and maintain places of education and to manage a place of education which it wholly maintains; and no such community shall be prevented from providing religious instruction for persons of that community in the course of any education provided at a place of education which it wholly maintains or in the course of any education which it otherwise provides.

(3)   Except with his own consent (or, if he is a minor, the consent of his guardian), no person attending a place of education shall be required to receive religious instruction or to take part in or attend a religious ceremony or observance if that instruction, ceremony or observance relates to a religion other than his own.

(4)   No person shall be compelled to take an oath which is contrary to his religion or belief or to take an oath in a manner which is contrary to his religion or belief.

(5)   Nothing contained in or done under the authority of any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of this section to the extent that law in question makes provision which is reasonably required:-

(a)   in the interests of defence, public safety, public order, public morality or public health; or

(b)   for the purpose of protecting the rights and freedoms of  other persons, including the right to observe and practise a religion without the unsolicited intervention of members of another religion,

and except so far as the provision or, as the case may be, the thing done under the authority thereof is shown not to be reasonably justifiable in a democratic society.

(6)   References in this section to a religion shall be construed as including references to a religious denomination, and cognate expressions shall be construed accordingly.

Protection of freedom of expression.

79.(1)  Except with his own consent, no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his freedom of expression, that is to say, freedom to hold opinions without interference, freedom to receive ideas and information without interference (whether the communication be to the public generally or to any person or class of persons) and freedom from