The National Assembly has today approved the Public Participation Bill, 2025, paving way for enactment of the Law deemed crucial for better citizen engagement in public governance. 

The Bill cosponsored by Rarieda MP, Hon. Otiende Amollo and his Ainabkoi counterpart Hon. Samuel Chepkonga seeks to provide a clear legal framework to guide public participation in governance and decision making across Government entities.

The Bill comes in the wake of years of debates over how Government institutions such as the Houses of Parliament, County Assemblies, Constitutional Commissions and other public entities can involve citizens better in decisions that affect them. 

The Bill, which was considered by the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs (JLAC) proposes principles and general guidelines for conducting public participation and identifies the authorities responsible for organising the same. 

Prior to tabling of its Report on the Bill, the Committee undertook extensive public participation, including consideration of stakeholder views as well as nationwide public hearings where Kenyans also weighed in on diverse recommendations of the proposed Law.

JLAC Chairperson Hon. Gitonga Murugara (Tharaka) told the House that the Bill if assented to would go a long way in streamlining processes in key government agencies, by ensuring that citizens are better involved own the decision-making processes. 

“To avoid over legislation, we as a House have given the mandate on public participation to the various government institutions; and it is now up to them to study this Bill once it is assented to and to come up with the specific regulations as guided,” noted Hon. Murugara.

During House debate, MPs stressed the importance of meaningful public participation that goes beyond the procedural requirements in decision making across Government entities.

MPs also stressed the need for easy accessibility of documents related to the public participation processes in languages that Kenyans can understand, including the enhanced use of sign language.  

If signed into law is expected to bring greater consistency and accountability to citizen engagement across the country.