Koome calls for effective public participation to bridge policy formulation gaps

Chief Justice Martha Koome has urged counties to conduct adequate public participation to ensure proper formulation of laws and policies.

Koome, who chairs the National Council of Law Reporting, noted that inadequate public participation has led to formulation of substandard policies and county laws.

“We must acknowledge the challenges we face. We have at times been force to strike some of those legislation due to failures in adhering to public participation,” said Koome.

She called for regular review of existing policies owing to leadership changes in county governments, which come with different priorities due to the social, economic, and political circumstances.

The Chief Justice spoke on Thursday during the launch of a report on Public Policy Formulation Capacity Gaps and Capacity Development of Actors in Nakuru, Kajiado, and Narok Counties.

She further urged all the 47 counties to establish Legal Resource Centres to enhance access to public legal information.

Koome revealed that a survey done in 2018 identified significant compliance gaps in constitutional, legal and policy frameworks in both the County and National Governments.

“The finding from this research that we are launching today stress the importance of continuous tailormade trainings for all stakeholders involved policy development from county officials to members of civil society to the community members to contribute knowledgeably and constructively to the process of policy formulation,” she stated.