Kenya's Constitution
The objective of the constitution is good governace, protection of fundamental human rights, to provide legal priorities and good mechanisms to guide national programme implementation. On national cultural promotion .Kenya's constitution in article 11 of the constitution recognizes culture as the foundation of the nation and cumlative civilization of the kenyan people. The article commits the government to promote all forms of national culral expressions and to protect the interllectual propery rights of the kenyan people. The constitution has aslo mainstreamed across various articles such as; Article 7 on national, official and other languages, Article 32(1) on Freedom of conscience, religion, belief and opinion, Article 33 (b) on Freedom of expression in relation to artistic expression, Article 44 on language and culture, Article 56 rights of minority groups in relation to developing their cultural values languages and practices among other culture related aspects of the constitution the Various articles in the constitution, article 10 calls for sustainable development while article 27 commits government to ensure social inclusion and promote social cultural rights in development. Further, the constitution has also devolved culture and cultural activities and facilities to county governments which now have integrated culture in their county development plans. The constitution provisions have in the last four years provided a conducive political and social environment for enjoyemnt of culture and for promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions.
Main feature of the kneya's constitution in relation to culture promotion and protection is article eleven which is on promotion and protection of kenya's national cultural expressions and heritage. The article provides a constitutional mandate for the government to formulate and implement national mechanisms for national cultural development.The bill of rights enshrined in the constitution provides for the protection of fundametal rights and freedoms including right to particapate and enjoy ones cultural rights. The constitution also provides for protection of the rights of minority groups in relation to developing their cultural values languages and practices. The fourth schedule of the constitution devolves county activities and facilities to county governments thus commiting local governments to provide for develpement of culture through alloaction of budgets, planning and implementaion of cultural programmes at the local levels. The fifthcschedule of the constitution further commits parliament to develop enact a national culture legislation to ensure communities recieve compensation and royalties for use of their cultures and heritage.
-Enjoyment of diverse cultures
- Repect of culture as a fundamental human right
- Protection of intellectual property rights
- Good governace
-Promotion and protection of culture by the state
- Enhanced creativity
- Protection of minority cultural expressions
-Interntional partneships
- Cultural promotion and protection measures
The government of Kenya provides annual national budgetary allocation to the ministry responsible for culture and to county governments to support cultural development. The government also provides annual budgetary allocations to all state institutions that perform specific cultural functions for example ministry of education budget alloaction to support school music and drama festivals.