The Diaspora University Town sign on the Voi – Taveta – Arusha (A23) road reads, “Development approved in accordance with Kenya Constitution 185 (4) to advance Kenya Constitution 43 rights (Housing, healthcare, education…) through jobs creation and university town development.”
Talking to Dan Kamau the Executive Trustee of Diaspora University Trust that is developing the town we understand more these words written on the sign.
Dan reads the Kenya Constitution article 185 (4) as follows: “A county assembly may receive and approve plans and policies for— (a) the management and exploitation of the county’s resources; and (b) the development and management of its infrastructure and institutions.”
He says the University Town Development plan was submitted by Diaspora Kenyans, received by the County Assembly, and approved. He says, “The approval of 185 (4) is based on having no objection to the plan putting the County resources of land, human resource, and other resources to productive use to achieve the economic and social rights written in article 43.
Dan turns the pages of Kenya Constitution and reads article 43 as follows, “(1) Every person has the right— (a) to the highest attainable standard of health, which includes the right to health care services, including reproductive health care; (b) to accessible and adequate housing, and to reasonable standards of sanitation; (c) to be free from hunger, and to have adequate food of acceptable quality; (d) to clean and safe water in adequate quantities; (e) to social security; and (f) to education.
He says, “These economic and social rights are achieved when persons apply their resources toward development and sustenance of a plan that achieves these rights.”
He adds, “Job creation as written in the sign board is creation of work in an organized planned way so the human resource both physical and intellectual can be applied in a job that achieves the economic and social rights of those working.”
Dan further explains that the jobs creation in the development and operation of a medical hospital plan will advance the right of healthcare. The jobs creation in the development and operation of the university plan will advance the right of education and other rights that depend on education. The jobs creation in development and operation of the town plan will advance the rights of clean water, housing, social security, and other rights.
