By Jeremiah Muuo
I did not fully know about Article 43 until Badili Africa announced the challenge during one of their convening. That moment changed everything.
Sure, I had heard about free education and the right to healthcare, but I had no idea these provisions were all housed under one powerful article in our Constitution. Article 43 was not just another legal clause; it represented the very rights I had been living without fully understanding their constitutional foundation.
Why I Chose to Participate
The decision to join the challenge was not just about competition. My teammate Gladwell Ng’ang’a and I saw something bigger: an opportunity to bridge the gap between young people and their Constitution.
We both have influence in our social and online spaces, and we asked ourselves a simple question: Why not use our platforms meaningfully? If we could make Article 43 accessible and engaging for our peers, we could spark a movement of constitutionally aware youth.
Education, one of Article 43’s key provisions, hits particularly close to home for me. I am a direct beneficiary of free primary education and affordable secondary and tertiary education. But watching education costs rise has made me question the government’s commitment to this constitutional promise. Every child in Kenya deserves access to quality education; it is not a privilege, it is a right.
My awareness of constitutional rights deepened during the 2023 protests organized by the late RT. Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga, before the Gen Z uprising. That is when it clicked: I have the right to join peaceful demonstrations and express my opinion as a citizen. The Constitution protects me, even when there is intimidation. These are not just abstract concepts, they are shields and tools for active citizenship.
Making the Constitution Cool
Creating content around Article 43 came with its own set of challenges. The biggest hurdle being the Legal language.
Constitutional text can be dense, formal, and frankly intimidating for young people. We knew that if we simply quoted Article 43 verbatim, we would lose our audience before they even understood the message. Our mission became clear: break down the legal jargon and make it youth-friendly without losing the depth and importance of what these rights mean.
Working with Gladwell was collaborative and dynamic. We combined music with historical clips from Kenya’s past, creating a visual piece that felt both patriotic and meaningful. The music and imagery were not just aesthetic choices; they were deliberate tools to connect constitutional rights to the journey and struggles that brought us here.
The process was exciting, challenging, and deeply educational. We were learning while creating.
Beyond the Competition
Seeing people interact with our posts, liking, sharing, and asking questions about Article 43 and the Bill of Rights was incredibly encouraging. Young people were genuinely interested in understanding their rights and the Constitution better. The challenge proved something powerful: when you meet young people where they are, they show up.
Watching other teams’ submissions was equally inspiring. The creativity and effort every participant brought to the table showed me that this generation cares about governance, rights, and our collective future. We are not the apathetic generation we are sometimes painted to be.
What I Learned
The Article 43 Challenge taught me three critical lessons:
First, I learned that the Kenyan Constitution gives young people the right to participate in governance and decision-making.
Second, it made me realize that I have an important role to play as a young person in shaping my country. Article 43 represents more than provisions. It is the soul of our Constitution, the promise that every Kenyan deserves dignity, opportunity, and social justice.
Third, I gained tremendous hope. Seeing how young people are engaging more with our Constitution and taking time to understand the governance structures that shape our daily lives gives me confidence in our generation’s potential to demand accountability and drive change.
Moving Forward
The #Article43Challenge was not just a competition; it was an awakening. It reminded me that constitutional awareness is the first step toward active citizenship, and that young people have both the right and the responsibility to engage with the documents that govern our lives.
To every young person reading this: your Constitution is your toolkit for change, your protection against injustice, and your roadmap for the Kenya you want to see. Learn it. Use it. Defend it.
#Article43Challenge is a digital civic education initiative by Badili Africa, aimed at promoting constitutional awareness among youth and diverse groups across Kenya.
