(CLEAR-AA, 2020-06) Pabari, Mine; Odhowa, Ahmed Hassan
In 2010, with the enactment of the new Constitution,
Kenya adopted a presidential system of government which
strengthened the role of the legislature in the legislative
process and reduced the influence of the executive.
Legislative authority comprises of the national parliament
(the National Assembly and the Senate) and County
Assemblies for the county level of government.
Public participation is a core pillar and principle of
governance under the Kenya Constitution. Public
participation is defined by the National Assembly as, “the
process of interaction between an organisation and the
public with the aim of making an acceptable and better
decision”(The Clerk of the National Assembly, 2017). Public
participation in the governance process is guided by various
provisions of the Constitution and numerous statutes
including the Public Finance and Management Act1, The
County governments Act2, The Access to Information Act3
and the Public Procurement and Assets Disposal Act4. The
Parliamentary standing orders set out the procedures for
lodging a petition by a member of the public.