Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Mitu-Bell Case As a Legal North in the Progressive Realisation of Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights at a Time of Climate Friction and Land Usage Practices in Kenya

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Judicial Responses to Climate Change in the Global South

Part of the book series: Living Signs of Law ((LSLAW,volume 2))

  • 73 Accesses

Abstract

The objective of this chapter is to show the inextricable union of land, water, human activity, and climate change in the progressive realization of economic, social, and cultural rights in Kenya. It traces legal developments from the year 2010 and cites the Enderois Case as a legal marker and finds its primary source the ratio decidendi in the Mitu-Bell Case delivered by the Supreme Court of Kenya in 2021 where the judiciary reminds the state and its organs of their roles as duty bearers towards ensuring the progressive realization and achievement of the provisions of the International Covenant of Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights. It identifies areas where climate change is more likely to affect the realization of the aforementioned rights through qualitative research and case analysis of incidents affecting agriculture, food supply, water, housing, employment, agriculture, animal welfare, energy, and human health by analyzing news reports on education, human-wildlife conflict, infrastructural developments, and farming. The chapter also draws upon scholarly works and organizational data and reports on these rights and their implementation from the Endorois Case to the Mitu-Bell Case and concludes by recommending structural changes, ethical recruitment processes, and sustainable development and highlights the adoption of technology as important factors towards achieving economic, social, and cultural rights.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 119.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Section 3 (2) of the Climate Change Act No 11 of 2016, Kenya (2016).

  2. 2.

    For more details on duties, finance and the climate secretariat see Act No 11 and Sect. 2.

  3. 3.

    Full citation of the case: Mitu-Bell Welfare Society v. Kenya Airports Authority and two others; Initiative for Strategic Litigation in Africa (Amicus Curiae) (Petition 3 of 2018) (2021) KESC 34 (KLR) (11 January 2021) (Judgment) available at http://kenyalaw.org/caselaw/caselawreport/?id=205900.

  4. 4.

    See KIPPRA (2022) on the percentages and proportionality of issuance title to land in relation to policies, gaps and security of land tenure.

  5. 5.

    On page 4 of the Mitu-Bell Case, the Supreme Court of Kenya reemphasized the domestication of international law in Kenya and its application where a lacuna exists in Kenyan laws. It also held that progressive realization of rights depends upon supportive measures of the state that may include legislative, policy based or programme initiatives.

  6. 6.

    The Supreme Court emphasised in the Mitu-Bell case that legal protection could also be in the form of compensation, issuance of adequate notices, and observation of humane conditions during evictions and provision of alternative land for settlement. See pg 3–4 of the judgment.

  7. 7.

    See Simiyu (2023) report for the Daily Nation Newspaper on the discovery of 970 minerals in Kenya.

  8. 8.

    See Save Lamu & 5 Others v. The National Environment Management Authority (2019) Where the National Environment Tribunal where the Tribunal ordered a new Environmental and Social Impact Assessment that included all the plans for the project, public participation and strict adherence to legal timelines.

  9. 9.

    Williamson (2001), pp. 297–307.

  10. 10.

    Ibid.

  11. 11.

    For more details see Ksenija and Rodriguez-Rabajos (2018), pp. 41–59.

  12. 12.

    Read Human Rights Watch (2010) on this landmark ruling on Indigenous Land Rights. The Enderois people live along Lake Bogoria in the Rift Valley, a popular tourist spot that includes geysers, hot springs and flamingos. They were displaced in the quest to establish hospitality resorts along the lake.

  13. 13.

    Further details available under Article 42 of the ‘Constitution of Kenya, 2010. The Article is to be fully actualized and effected through implementation of Art 43 and Art 70. A copy of the constitution is available on the Food and Agicultural Organization website.

  14. 14.

    The Mitu-Bell Case’s judgment was delivered by the Supreme Court of Kenya on 11th January, 2021. On page 5, it restates and reemphasises the state’s role in the progressive realization of human rights. It also marked a legal turning point in defining what public land means under Paragraph 21. For further details find the whole decision available on the Kenya Law Reports website http://kenyalaw.org/caselaw/cases/view/205900/ as Petition Number 3 of 2018 (2021) KESC 34 (KLR).

  15. 15.

    Kieyah and Mbae-Njoroge (2010).

  16. 16.

    Supra 3 (2018), p. 2.

  17. 17.

    Ibid.

  18. 18.

    Ibid, p. 3.

  19. 19.

    Ibid, p. 5.

  20. 20.

    Food and Agricultural Organization (2023).

  21. 21.

    Further details on the risks to agriculture in the FAO (2023) report mentioned in Note 20.

  22. 22.

    Marigat and Cheruiyot (2022), pp. 19–30.

  23. 23.

    World Food Programme (2023).

  24. 24.

    See the Human Rights Measurement Initiative’s Rights Tracker (2023).  It provides Economic and Social Rights metrics from internationally comparable, publicly available data. The metrics show how each country is doing relative to what is feasible for a country at that level of income to ensure progressive realization of those rights.

  25. 25.

    Kenya ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in 1972 and the Treaty has been domesticated under Art 2(6) of the Constitution. See this ratification status by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, OHCHR (2023).

  26. 26.

    See Supra 22 (2022), p. 23.

  27. 27.

    See news report and photos on the deaths of wildlife by Aljazeera (2022).

  28. 28.

    Ibid.

  29. 29.

    See Achoge (2020). The report communities along the River Mbagathi are affected by the huge number of plastics in the river. Many rivers across Kenya are polluted upstream affecting humans, animals and farmlands downstream. Deforestation is also causing a buildup of silt causing perennial flooding.

  30. 30.

    For further details read Albertazzi et al. (2018) on power relations and deforestation.

  31. 31.

    The Kenya Water Towers Agency (2022) oversees and coordinates the protection, rehabilitation, conservation and the sustainable management of water towers in Kenya. It conducts research and designs programmes for reclamation, rehabilitation and restoration and other intervention making it a major stakeholder in addressing the effects of climate change in water supply.

  32. 32.

    Water Services Regulatory Board (2009), p. 5.

  33. 33.

    Vasina and Nedelec (2021).

  34. 34.

    Environmental Justice Atlas (2022).

  35. 35.

    Owiti (2022).

  36. 36.

    Chebet (2022).

  37. 37.

    Miriri (2023).

  38. 38.

    Kenya Wildlife Tours (2023).

  39. 39.

    UNODC (2023).

  40. 40.

    Rhino Charge (2023).

  41. 41.

    Vitale (2019).

  42. 42.

    UN-HABITAT (2023). Kenya set the Vision 2030 agenda to provide a high quality of life for its citizens by 2030 in clean and secure environment.

  43. 43.

    The Urban Agenda Platform (2023) is a U.N. roadmap for building sustainable cities as engines for prosperity as well as agents for social cultural wellbeing while protecting the environment.

  44. 44.

    The National Treasury and Planning (2020), pp. 1–3.

  45. 45.

    See Supra 24 (2023).

  46. 46.

    Schneider and Mucke (2021), p. 1.

  47. 47.

    Ibid.

  48. 48.

    Bernard et al. (2021), pp. 1041–1059.

  49. 49.

    Edgar (2020), pp. 1–3.

  50. 50.

    Montforts and Keen (2011), pp. 3–6.

  51. 51.

    WADA (2021).

  52. 52.

    Ardhisasa (2023).

  53. 53.

    Mwathane (2023).

  54. 54.

    Gitonga (2022).

  55. 55.

    Mutua (2022).

  56. 56.

    Oudia (2022).

  57. 57.

    Njugunah (2016).

  58. 58.

    Kamtchin (2023).

  59. 59.

    Kitimo (2022).

  60. 60.

    The World Bank (2021).

  61. 61.

    See Supra 24 (2023).

  62. 62.

    McCarthy (2021).

  63. 63.

    Oludhe (n.d.).

  64. 64.

    Daily Monitor (2021).

  65. 65.

    KETRACO (2020).

  66. 66.

    Kushner (2021).

  67. 67.

    Norfund (n.d.).

  68. 68.

    Shanima (2021).

  69. 69.

    US Geological Survey (2018).

  70. 70.

    See UNESCO (2008) on inscription on sacred Mijikenda forests at the Kenyan coast.

  71. 71.

    See UNESCO (2008) for details on Kaya Forests external and internal threats.

  72. 72.

    Schurmann et al. (2020), pp. 1–2.

  73. 73.

    Nyamweru (2011), pp. 270–302.

  74. 74.

    UNESCO (2022).

  75. 75.

    News24 (2012).

References

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. High Court of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya

    Muriuki Sharon

  2. Human Rights Measurement Initiative, Wellington, New Zealand

    Muriuki Sharon

Authors
  1. Muriuki Sharon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Independent Legal Practitioner and Researcher, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

    Shuma Talukdar

  2. Universidade Federal de Goiás, MINAS GERAIS, Brazil

    Valéria Emília de Aquino

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Sharon, M. (2023). The Mitu-Bell Case As a Legal North in the Progressive Realisation of Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights at a Time of Climate Friction and Land Usage Practices in Kenya. In: Talukdar, S., de Aquino, V.E. (eds) Judicial Responses to Climate Change in the Global South. Living Signs of Law, vol 2. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-46142-2_6

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-46142-2_6

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-46141-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-46142-2

  • eBook Packages: Law and CriminologyLaw and Criminology (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation