Scribe Kenyan

William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar is a tragic historical play that has enduring lessons on power, loyalty, betrayal, and political manipulation. Whether you believe in history repeating itself or that words have meaning, the pronouncements by Casca and Brutus shortly after the assassination of Caesar ( particularly their reflections on the future and the dramatic significance of their actions ) have had profound implications on the trajectory of politics in not only ancient Rome but also the world over. In the play, Cassius remarks , "How many ages hence /Shall this our lofty scene be acted over / In states unborn and accents yet unknown!" (Shakespeare, Julius Caesar , 3.1). I n a similar vein, Brutus contemplates in response , "How many times shall Caesar bleed in sport, / That now on Pompey's basis lies along / No worthier than the dust!" (Shakespeare, Julius Caesar , 3.1). These reflections are an immortalized prophesy that has had a l...

  ABSTRACT Public participation is an essential element of democracy. In a republic such as Kenya where the people are the real custodians of the sovereign power, it becomes necessary for them to be given a chance to directly exercise this power. Even though the Constitution recognizes the direct exercise of sovereign power, it is silent on how this is to be achieved. This article takes the opinion that sovereign power is exercised directly through public participation and takes note of the fact that the mechanism through which public participation can be achieved is not outlined in the Constitution. For this reason, the article examines various constitutional provisions that lay the foundation through which public participation can footed. Further, the essay looks into the attempted creation of legislation and policy on public participation and finally the threshold for sufficient public participation. 1.      Introduction In Kenya, as per Article...