Despite major wins and losses in such cases, there has been no structured system for conducting public participation. In 2012, the Public Participation Policy, a framework for managing and coordinating public participation, was developed by a multi-government agency team. However, to prevent the chaos we just witnessed, this is the time to accelerate the enactment of the Public Participation Bill 2023, into law. A well-defined and outlined public participation framework is the panacea for the many petitions and protests involving lawmaking. Once enacted, the government must ensure that the law is effectively implemented both in letter and spirit in order to make public participation meaningful.

Source: Daily Nation July 03, 2024 15:39 UTC