Your rights and responsibilities under the Bill of Rights
Kenya National Commission on Human Rights / Constitution of Kenya · sources read 4 Oct 2026
Your rights are written in the Bill of Rights, Chapter Four of the Constitution. They belong to you and are not granted by the State. They include life, dignity, equality, privacy, free expression, association, property, health, housing, food, water, education and fair labour practices. In return, every person must respect, uphold and defend the Constitution.
- Where
- The High Court, or a complaint to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) online, by email, by letter or at a KNCHR office
Steps
- Know the main rights: life, equality and freedom from discrimination, dignity, freedom and security, privacy, religion and belief, expression, media, access to information, association, assembly and petition, political rights, movement and property.
- You also have economic and social rights: health care, adequate housing and sanitation, freedom from hunger, clean and safe water, social security and education.
- If a right is denied, violated or threatened, you can go to court. Someone else, or a group, can also go on your behalf.
- You can also report a violation to KNCHR: visit their office, send a letter, use the online complaints page or email complaint@knchr.org. Reports are kept confidential.
Watch out
- Rights come with responsibilities: every person has a duty to respect, uphold and defend the Constitution, and you must not discriminate against others.
- Free expression has limits. It does not cover propaganda for war, incitement to violence or hate speech.
- Most rights can be limited, but only by a law and only as far as is reasonable and justifiable in an open and democratic society.
Who this covers
- Every individual. Some rights, such as political rights and the right to live anywhere in Kenya, are for citizens only.
Official sources (2)
- Constitution of Kenya, 2010 (Chapter Four, the Bill of Rights) new.kenyalaw.org · read 4 Oct 2026
- Report Violation knchr.org · read 4 Oct 2026