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Article 17

Revocation of citizenship

In plain English

Citizenship by registration may be revoked for fraud, helping an enemy in war, or certain serious convictions. A found child's presumed citizenship may be revoked if obtained by fraud, or if the child proves a foreign national or over eight when found.

The official text

(1) If a person acquired citizenship by registration, the citizenship may be revoked if—

(a) the person acquired the citizenship by fraud, false representation or concealment of any material fact;

(b) the person 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) the person 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) the person 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.

Summaries and answers are a plain-English guide written by Iam254, not legal advice. The official text is what counts. Official text: Constitution of Kenya, 2010, Kenya Law (National Council for Law Reporting), legislation as at 3 September 2010. It has not been amended since.