Empowering the Kenyan people through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms

Abstract

This paper discusses the concept of empowerment in the context of the Constitution of Kenya 2010 with a view to demonstrating how Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) can be employed as a tool for the empowerment of the Kenyan People to boost their participation in conflict management, governance matters , and improve the socio - economic aspects of their lives. The discourse conce ptualizes empowerment in the context of Kenya, based on the various elements of the same . It highlights the main challenges hampering efforts to empower the Kenyan people and proposes the way forward. The paper ends by suggesting ways in which empowerment can be achieved for the Kenyan people , for the realisation of an environment based on the values of human rights, equality, freedom, democracy, social justice and the rule of law as envisaged in the preamble to the current Constitution of Kenya 2010.