Week 4

Citizenship
The term is used to describe the status of people within or outside a state who are accorded full
political and civil right in a particular state or country. A citizen therefore is a legitimate member
of a state or country who enjoys civil and political right and owes allegiance to particular country
or state and could be called upon for national service.
ACQUISITION OF CITIZENSHIP
• Citizenship by birth: A person is a citizen of a country / state when he or she is born
within the territory, even if the parents are non- citizen of that particular country.
• Citizenship by Descent: A person citizenship is determined by his or her father’s
citizenship or citizenship of his or her ancestors.
• Citizen by Naturalization/ Application: A citizen of a country who has lives in
another country for a long period of time.(15-25 years above) can apply for
citizenship in the country he or she resides and renounce citizenship of the country of
origin.
• Citizenship by Registration/ Marriage. A person can become a citizen of a country
through matrimony. In such a case, the individual has to go through a registration
process before the citizenship is confirmed.
• Citizenship by conquest: A person can become a citizen if a country and forced to
change his or her status when that country has taken over the persons own country.
The individual conquered therefore owned allegiance to the conqueror.
• Honorary Citizenship: this is when citizenship of a country is granted t bo a distingue
or prominent foreigner with the usual requirement as mark if honor.
Right of Citizens
• The right to life.
• The right to fair and equal hearing.
• The right to private and family life.
• The freedom of speech /expression and publication.
Such a right should be devoid of slander(spoken words that are not correct and
meant to destroy someone’s image) and label(Written words that are incorrect and
meant to destroy someone’s image)
• Freedom of association with a legitimate political and social group.
• The right to own property.
• Freedom of Religious practice.
• Right to Vote and to be voted for.
• Freedom from slavery and force labour.
• Freedom from discrimination on the grounds of sex, race, tribe, political
affiliation, religion etc.

Duties and responsibilities of a citizen.

• To pay tax.
• Be law abiding.
• Be loyal to the state / country.
• Defend the country
• To give national service when called upon.
• Respect the national Anthem and flag.
• Respect those at the hem of affairs in the country(President and government
official)
• Assist law enforcement agencies.
• Take care of public properties
• No interference with another person’s right.

Ways of safeguarding the right of Citizens

• Existence of a public complained commission(ombudsman)
• Existence of civic right organization, opposition parties and pressure
group.
• Adherence to the principles of separation of powers and checks and
balances.
• Prevalence of the rule of Law.
• Existence of an independent judiciary that interpreted the law and punish
law breaker with the interference of the legislature and executive.
• Press Freedom.
• Publication of laws: Acts of parliament and other law should be published
in the language people can generally understand.

Conditions that Limits the rights of citizens

• State of emergency or curfew.
• Disease outbreak and the fear of transfer.