KENYA’S Court of Appeal has rejected a government bid to make fundamental changes to the constitution in a new blow to President Uhuru Kenyatta, who had initiated the controversial proposals.
On Friday, the court upheld a High Court decision in May that declared the proposed reforms illegal on the basis that Kenyatta acted unconstitutionally, limiting his ability to prevent his estranged deputy from succeeding him next year.
“The days of [an] unaccountable presidency are long gone,” said Patrick Kiage, one of the appellate judges, rejecting the government’s appeal.
Kenyatta had argued that the initiative would make politics more inclusive and help end repeated cycles of election violence in the East African nation, a hot-button issue that has divided the political elite.
Court President Daniel Musinga issued the judgment after more than 10 hours of a televised session.
“The president does not have authority under the constitution to initiate changes to
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