Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy

Ghana is currently in the midst of an intense period of constitutional reform. In January this year, the CRC was put in place to take charge of the constitutional review process. Ms Jean Mensa, the Executive Director of NIMD’s partner in Ghana, the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), is a member of the Commission.

Zimbabwe, Zambia and Kenya also find themselves in the middle of a constitutional review process. The peer-to-peer nature of the programme thus provides an unique opportunity for politicians and other stakeholders from these countries to compare the content, outcome and inclusivity of their respective constitutional review and reform processes.

The programme, which will be hosted by NIMD’s partner in Kenya, the Centre for Multiparty Democracy Kenya (CMD-K), will be conducted under the title of Constitutional Reforms, Constitutional Reviews and Constitutional Making in Africa: Lessons for Ghana.

The programme will feature four days of intensive talks and workshops, including a private meeting with Kenya's Prime Minister, Raila Odinga.

Other notable speakers featured during the programme include Professor Yash pal Ghai, Chairperson of the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission (CKRC), Mr. Nzamba Kitonga, Chair of Kenya’s Committee of Experts (CoE) and Dr. Patrick Lumumba, former secretary of the CKRC and now Director of the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC).

The exchange will add further momentum to the ongoing debates over constitutional reform in these countries. The fact that the programme is being held in Kenya will also allow participants to learn from a constitutional reform process that is alive and in motion.

Image of Raila Odinga by Matthew Jordaan, via Wikipedia Commons.