Public participation tops agenda of forum for key commissions and offices

Teachers Service Commission Chairperson Lydia Nzomo addresses journalists at Three Steers Hotel in Meru on October 9, 2018. Constitutional commissions and independent offices will hold their 7th annual conference in Meru focusing on public participation. PHOTO | DAVID MUCHUI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The forum will focus on public participation
  • Three day conference will include exhibitions and a visit to county and national government flagship projects in Meru
  • TSC chairperson said there is need for all government institutions to actively engage Kenyans and avoid "pushing programmes down their throat"

The seventh annual congress of constitutional commissions and independent offices aimed at addressing public participation issues has started in Meru.

The conference, themed Public participation: Pathway to sustainable development, is meant to review how public participation has been done since the Constitution came into effect in 2010.

Addressing journalists in Meru town, Teachers Service Commission Chairperson (TSC) Lydia Nzomo, who is also the forum's chair, said the conference seeks to look into better ways of engaging the public in government programmes and legislation.

PROMOTE TRANSPARENCY

“Many times those who mobilise for public participation, use approaches which may not give the desired impact just for the purpose of ticking the box to show it happened. Kenyans need to know they have a constitutional right to participate in governance and other administrative issues,” said Dr Nzomo.

The three day conference will include exhibitions and a visit to county and national government flagship projects in Meru. President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to close the meeting on Friday.

“We admit that enough public participation has not been ensured by various government bodies. The conference is meant to evaluate the challenges and seek best practices for public engagement. Going forward, there is need to correct past mistakes,” she said.

The TSC chairperson said there is need for all government institutions to actively engage Kenyans and avoid "pushing programmes down their throat".

She said engaging the public would help increase credibility of public officers besides promoting transparency.

Independent offices include those of the Auditor-General and Controller of Budget while constitutional commissions are the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, Commission on Revenue Allocation, Judicial Service Commission, TSC, Public Service Commission, National Police Service Commission, National Land Commission, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, Parliamentary Service Commission, Salaries and Remuneration Commission, Commission on Administrative Justice, Kenya National Commission on Human Rights and National Gender and Equality Commission.