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Article 196 · Part 7—General

Public participation and county assembly powers, privileges and immunities

In plain English

County assemblies must conduct business openly, sit in public and facilitate public participation. The public and media may be excluded only in exceptional circumstances where the speaker finds justifiable reasons. Parliament must legislate on their powers, privileges and immunities.

The official text

(1) A county assembly shall—

(a) conduct its business in an open manner, and hold its sittings and those of its committees, in public; and

(b) facilitate public participation and involvement in the legislative and other business of the assembly and its committees.

(2) A county assembly may not exclude the public, or any media, from any sitting unless in exceptional circumstances the speaker has determined that there are justifiable reasons for doing so.

(3) Parliament shall enact legislation providing for the powers, privileges and immunities of county assemblies, their committees and members.

Questions this Article answers

YesCan I attend my county assembly's sittings?Yes. County assemblies must sit in public and can exclude the public or media only in exceptional circumstances.YesDo I have a right to a say in how public money is used?Yes. Public finance must be guided by openness and accountability, including public participation in financial matters.

Summaries and answers are a plain-English guide written by Iam254, not legal advice. The official text is what counts. Official text: Constitution of Kenya, 2010, Kenya Law (National Council for Law Reporting), legislation as at 3 September 2010. It has not been amended since.