Article 17. Revocation of citizenship
Official Constitutional Text
17. (1) If a person acquired citizenship by registration, the citizenship may be revoked if the person—
(a) acquired the citizenship by fraud, false representation or concealment of any material fact;
(b) has, during any war in which Kenya was engaged, unlawfully traded or communicated with an enemy or been engaged in or associated with any business that was knowingly carried on in such a manner as to assist an enemy in that war;
(c) has, within five years after registration, been convicted of an offence and sentenced to imprisonment for a term of three years or longer; or
(d) has, at any time after registration, been convicted of treason, or of an offence for which—
(i) a penalty of at least seven years imprisonment may be imposed; or
(ii) a more severe penalty may be imposed.
(2) The citizenship of a person who was presumed to be a citizen by birth, as contemplated in Article 14 (4), may be revoked if—
(a) the citizenship was acquired by fraud, false representation or concealment of any material fact by any person;
(b) the nationality or parentage of the person becomes known, and reveals that the person was a citizen of another country; or
(c) the age of the person becomes known, and reveals that the person was older than eight years when found in Kenya.
Plain English Explanation
This is a simplified summary to explain this article in clear language. It is not the legal text of the Constitution.
Under Article 17 of the Kenyan Constitution, citizenship acquired through registration can be cancelled if it was obtained through fraud, if the person assists an enemy during a war, or if they commit a serious crime resulting in significant prison time within specified periods. Additionally, citizenship can be revoked for a child who was previously presumed to be a citizen by birth under Article 14(4) if fraud is uncovered, if their true nationality or parents are found to be foreign, or if it is proven they were over eight years old when discovered.