Kenyans must be involved in all processes

When Kenyans passed and subsequently promulgated the new Constitution in 2010, the message was very clear: that citizens wanted to be consulted on everything being done on their behalf by their leaders and that transparency was not optional.

Indeed the wording of Article 1 of our Constitution stamps this fact, that sovereign power belongs to the people and that this power is exercised on behalf of the people by specified institutions.

This delegation requires that the holders of the specified offices consult the people in making decisions that affect them. Public participation is now a mandatory aspect of our parliamentary processes.

I am concerned that civil society activists, commentators, and other stakeholders deliberately avoid the issue of public participation, choosing instead to focus on controversial issues such as gender and laptops. Yes, I agree, gender and laptops matter, but can we have a wholesome debate?

We have to dispense with this crucial element in a satisfactory manner in order to fully implement our Constitution.

I made a special request when I met senior editors under the auspices of the Editors Guild that the media help to implement this critical provision.

The editors complained that some of our committees in Parliament were not open for coverage by the media. No committee sittings are supposed to be closed without the authority of the Speaker. Most of the committees of the National Assembly are open.

This August, we have the parliamentary open week. As we intensify our outreach to the people on the ground through participation in such events as agricultural shows across the country, we need the help of every Kenyan to implement this provision of our Constitution. Even after advertising in newspapers, citizens do not turn up for public hearings. But when things go wrong, for example, the recent vetting and approval of Dr Monica Juma as secretary to the Cabinet, everybody is ready to criticise Parliament.

Sometimes the criticism is in good faith, but more often than not, the debate is hijacked by parochial interests. This process must be about the will of the people.

Those seeking to hijack legitimate concerns about parliamentary processes need to be told to air their views during public hearings. I am sure that this process can add value to the Bills in the houses and even in the counties.

We need to begin asking ourselves whether this process is going on in the counties and whether the citizens use it to ensure that the will of the people prevails. Devolution is supposed to be about the people, but it is doubtful that the people are part of the process of governance in their counties.

This is a challenge that the county assemblies and the executives must address. Parliament is pursuing all possible avenues to bridge this gap.

I am hopeful that technology can be deployed to advance this provision of our Constitution. During Parliament’s open week, I would like to hear proposals on how Parliament can intensify its engagement with the people.

I would also like to hear from Kenyans how we can deploy technology to advance public participation as a key component of our legislative process. 
Mr Muturi is the Speaker of the National Assembly of Kenya and President of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association-Africa. [email protected]