Catholic Information Service for Africa (Nairobi)
30 October 2009
Nairobi — Some African countries lack "ethical" constitutions, because people entrusted with the process, politicians included, are not committed to establishment of ethical constitutions.
Addressing a two day conference at the Catholic Strathmore University on Leadership and Ethics on October 29 to 30, the former Chairman of the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission (CKRC), Professor Yash Pal Ghai said interests of some of the people involved in constitutional making, politicians included, were "placed" elsewhere.
"For them, they would prefer constitutions that would be "unethical" and that give lee way to corruption and misuse of public funds," said Professor Ghai.
"At least this is the kind of lesson I learnt while steering the national review commission of Kenya", he further told the over 200 delegates both Africa and Europe.
Nigerian Professor, Dr. Franca Ovadje in her presentation complained that "some of the laws in Africa, under some constitutions were too "weak" to prosecute countries' corrupt and economic lauders.
One of the Africa's current challenges is how soon the continent could effectively establish effective constitutions for the better of all on the continent, she pointed out.
Some of them-constitutions are too weak to "deal" with some people and more so those in higher positions and have influential positions in the society", she further said.
Opening the conference, Kenya's minister for justice, National Cohesion and constitutional Affairs, Mutula Kilonzo said poor leadership, lack of ethics and integrity were not the sole preserve of the African continent.
"It is a global problem. Many have come to realize that the recent worldwide economic recession is a manifestation of poor and unethical decision making by those in positions of authority both in the public and private sectors", he stressed.
"However, what must be acknowledged is that it has had uniquely devastating effect on this continent," he added.
This was the 6th conference organized by the Catholic university since its inception in 2003.
"The idea is to bring such congregation to deliberate on a given theme such as leadership and ethics as the case is this time around", explained one of the organizers of the conference in an interview with CISA.
The conference was organized and sponsored by Strathmore University, Ministry for Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs and the European Union (EU).
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