HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 812105,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/812105/?format=api",
"text_counter": 195,
"type": "other",
"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "families, organisations or communities at any given level should be given the necessary awareness. Madam Temporary Speaker, public participation will ensure that we promote open governance. For example, as the Senator of Uasin Gishu County, you can have an opportunity for a legal framework on how to engage public participation. In September, the Senate will sit in your great county of Uasin Gishu. Therefore, Kenyans will realize that public participation is no longer a privilege; it is a right that cannot be taken away. We have seen judicial decisions that have been pronounced. For example, in the previous case of Kiambu, the court overturned some of the executive decisions and legislations that were passed for simply avoiding public participation. We thank our courts for the decisions they have made because they have ensured the growth of respect for public participation. The Inter-Governmental Relations Technical Committee (IGRTC) and the Auditor-General have given a model and guidelines on how to do public participation between Government agencies and county governments. However, they need to give it a legal aspect. We do not need to use guidelines which are a prerogative of the Cabinet Secretary. Since they have realized that they have made a mistake, they can decide to change the guidelines. Therefore, when the IGRTC brings the guidelines, they need to know that it is an important right. Madam Temporary Speaker, when this aspect of this Bill comes into full realization of being law, it will give impedance to the right to freedom of information under Articles 34 and 35 of the Constitution which is important. Sen. Petronila Were has introduced The County Printer Bill which will ensure that information is disseminated and the public participate in open governance and democratic principles in the country. This law will also ensure that everybody has equitable access to information. Madam Temporary Speaker, when this Constitution came into place, I happened, at some point, to be the Chairperson of the Nandi “Team Transparency” Group. At that time, even to get a budget proposal, the Auditor-General’s report or legislation, which should be disseminated for free from the County Assembly of Nandi, was very hard. Further, even to be involved in a public participation exercise was very hard. Alternatively, these people would use some sort of ambush, where they would go, round up a few idlers in some township centers and tell them: “Come and sit here; we are giving you Kshs200, a soda and a loaf of bread.” They would then read to them some funny things. Since, of course, not everybody has had the privilege of going to school or having a formal education, they would read out big English words about demand and supply, the economy and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). These people would think GDP is a nickname of the Governor and, at the end of the day they would just endorse some of these things without realizing it. Therefore, Madam Temporary Speaker, it is good that now, the people have a recourse to ensure that they have a right to access to information. In the spirit of this law, we should ensure that if you are going to Bungoma County, where there are different tribes, you make sure you break it down to the level of the dialect which they understand. Do not go and tell us about demand and supply, the GDP, the infrastructure, what is 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."
}