Nakuru residents have been urged to develop an interest towards the implementation of the constitution. During the launch of the Jukumu Letu initiative held on Saturday residents were urged to unite with the government in order to make that happens.
“We have a role in defending the constitution,”
urged Nyambura Gathumbi of HIVOS, one of the organizations that supports the Jukumu Letu initiative.
Gathumbi directed her message more to the youth saying they had a bigger role to play.
“Those who passed the constitution are old now, as they move out we want to ensure that no vacuum is left.”
The launch that was held in Nakuru town was not attended by County Government officials and it is not clear why the Governor Kinuthia Mbugua led administration decided to skip such an important event on matters of public participation.
Regina Opondo of the Constitution and Reform Education Consortium (CRECO), another of the partner organisations for the initiative said implementation of the constitution was key to improving the lives of residents.
“If we don’t take the constitution and change it, then our lives will not change,” she said.
“Nakuru has challenges but the constitution has the answers,” she added.
Through the launch citizens were sensitized on their constitutional rights through artistic performances, a point that was stressed by Opondo.
“The constitution is a book but we want to make it more than a book through art,” she said.
Apart from having a history of ethnic conflict which makes ethnic balance in all sectors in the county, Nakuru has been facing the challenge of strained resources which include space to do business.
The county which was feted for being the cleanest town in the East African region has also lost its glory due to poor mechanisms to dispose garbage. The current dumping site at a place known as Gioto is full and the administration has not been making inroads in getting a new dumping site.
Apart from this the county’s cemetery is full and for long there has been a concern that residents might be recycling graves.
Cornelius Oduor of Center for Enhancing Democracy (CEDGG) told the residents that the launch of the Jukumu Letu initiative in the county was meant to remind them of the roles they play in the implementation of the constitution.
“We are here to see that we understand the constitution better and to see that we assign ourselves the roles,” he said.
How Nakuru residents internalize the launch and use the Constitution to better their lives is something only time will tell.
