<h3>The supreme law and the active citizen</h3><p>The <strong>Constitution of Kenya</strong> is the <strong>supreme law of the land</strong> — every other law and action of government must agree with it. Kenya's current Constitution was approved by citizens in a <strong>referendum</strong> in 2010.</p><p>Making a constitution follows clear <strong>stages</strong>: collecting the views of citizens, drafting the document, public debate and review, debate in <strong>Parliament</strong>, and finally approval by the people. Citizens play a real role by giving views, debating proposals and voting, while Parliament debates and enacts the law.</p><p><strong>Civic engagement</strong> is the way citizens take part in governance. It can be <em>individual</em> — voting, paying taxes, obeying laws, reporting wrongdoing — or <em>collective</em> — joining peaceful public participation forums, community groups or political parties. <strong>Political parties</strong> help organise ideas and present candidates for the elective positions Kenyans vote for, such as President, Governor, Senator, Member of Parliament, Woman Representative and Member of County Assembly.</p><div class="callout"><strong>Kenyan context:</strong> When a county assembly invites residents to a public participation meeting about its budget, attending and giving your views is civic engagement. Every Kenyan aged 18 and above can register and vote — a powerful way to shape leadership.</div>