Message from the chairperson : Nzamba Kitonga

The Committee of Ex­perts (CoE) on the Constitutional Review takes this opportunity to re-assure Kenyans that it has put in place strategies, struc­tures and systems neces­sary to successively execute its core mandate of finalis­ing the constitutional review process and delivering a new constitutional dispensa­tion for Kenya.
As chair of the CoE, I have no doubt in my mind that Kenyans will fully support the CoE in this noble exercise. Let me assure Kenyans that the CoE is firmly committed to the timely execution of its mandate in this regard.

In accordance with the pro­vision of the Constitution of Kenya Review Act 2008, the Committee of Experts is expected to finalise its work within twelve months from the date of appointment of the committee. The draft constitution that is finally approved by the National Assembly will be put to a ref­erendum conducted by the Interim Independent Elec­toral Commission (IIEC).

It is intended by the Review Act that when a consensus is achieved on the conten­tious issues, Kenyans will be able to support the draft and vote for it in the referen­dum so that we, the people of Kenya, may at last have a new constitution.
Indeed, according to the Act, the outcome of the process of the review of the constitu­tion should be a new consti­tution accepted by Kenyans through a referendum.
The Committee of Experts is the main technical organ in the constitutional review process. It comprises nine experts and two ex officio members who were nomi­nated by the National As­sembly and appointed by the President as per the Review Act. In nominating persons for appointment as members of the Committee of Experts, the nominating bodies (the National Assembly and the Panel of African Union Emi­nent Persons) gave due re­gard to the experience and academic qualifications of the applicants, the principle of gender equality and Ken­ya's national character and diversity. The experts have proven knowledge and ex­perience in among other areas, comparative consti­tutional law; systems and structures of democratic governments; human rights; women and gender issues; land and land law; governance, ethics and accountability; public fi­nance and administration; electoral systems and designs for democratic elections; anthropology; mediation and consensus building.
Six members of the Com­mittee are Kenyans and the other three are from South Africa, Zambia and Uganda. The secretariat of the Com­mittee is headed by the director appointed by the Parliamentary Select Com­mittee. He is responsible for the day to day running of the secretariat. The Attorney General and the Director both sit in the Committee as ex officio members without the power to vote