The role of parliament in foreign policy making process in Kenya 1963-1993
Abstract
This study is an attempt to inquire into the role of parliament in foreign-policy
making process in Kenya since independence up to 1993.
The study proceeds from the premise that Kenya's independence constitution
vested parliament with the authority to play a leading role in the formulation of the
country's foreign-policy. This authority was vested in parliament in line with the concept
of separation of powers, whereby the three arms of the government namely the executive,
legislature and the judiciary acts to "check and balance" each other.
It is argued in this thesis that while the constitution assigns specific roles to be
played by both the parliament and executive in the formulation and implementation of the
country's foreign policy respectively; the evidence adduced shows that the executive
(presidency) has in most cases by-passed the National Assembly in the conduct of the
entire foreign policy process.
The decision-making theory approach in foreign-policy constitutes the conceptual
framework for this study. The argument here is that few important issues fall exclusively
within the domain of a single organization. Thus government behavior relevant to any
important problem reflects the independent output of several organizations partially coordinated
by government leaders.
Sponsorhip
University of NairobiPublisher
Department of Political Science & Public Administration, University of Nairobi