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    "id": 812083,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/812083/?format=api",
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    "content": "guidelines would consider the issue of penalties. What is supposed to be done if an authority, organisation or a level of Government has refused to implement the views of the people or to take the citizens’ contributions? This Bill should have a component of penalties to the leadership, authorities and institutions that are supposed to carry out public participation. Madam Temporary Speaker, another aspect that is missing, and I would wish it is reflected in the regulations, is the issue of the trained personnel who would carry out this public participation. In many counties, people are called for a public participation exercise and some illiterate people just go there to sit. They are then told that they have been called for a meeting because a certain county officer is visiting some projects. Some of our people do not know what their contribution should be and why they are called. They do not know whether they have been called for a capacity building meeting, a cup of tea or a security baraza. The advertisements should clearly indicate and inform people that they are going for a public participation exercise on a certain project, so that they go there prepared, aware and informed. These kinds of public participation should be looked into. I agree with my colleague, Sen. Pareno, who said that the public should also be sensitized to know that when they go for public participation meetings, they should contribute on a project that will end up helping them, their children and future generations. They should not go there to be sponsored. I am very sorry for what happened a week ago to the Women Representative for Nairobi County. She was harassed by bodaboda riders because she went for either a capacity building or public participation meeting. Everyone was requesting for money from her. Kenyans should be made aware that a public participation meeting is supposed to be attended by everyone. They are not supposed to be fed, paid or hired to go and speak for certain politicians. They are supposed to go and speak for themselves as Kenyans. The other issue on public participation is about who are supposed to attend the public participation meetings. Are they stakeholders of the project that is being referred to? In many of the county projects, like a ward where a technical institution or university is supposed to be established, there are important education stakeholders that must be involved in a public participation baraza. However, you will find that a politician – I am very sorry that I am one – or a government or county official just calls his or her friends, supporters and people he or she has hired to contribute towards a project, yet it is supposed to be looked into by every important stakeholder in that ward or county. Madam Temporary Speaker, in these regulations, we need to identify the people who are supposed to be called. Are they people who come from that project area or target groups? How do we identify them? There must also be a department in every Ministry that works on the programmes of public participation, so that we know which department handles public participation meetings and whether they are trained or have the capacity. Even if they come from different Ministries, you can request them to conduct public participation for you. We need a department that will handle public participation, so that they prepare and announce the programme properly. I agree with one of my colleagues that, if possible, the announcement or advertisement for this public participation must be put in different languages. Not The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}