Open Parliament and Citizens Engagement

Promoting an open parliament and citizens’ engagement is crucial for strengthening democratic institutions and ensuring transparency and accountability in governance An open parliament fosters a two-way dialogue between elected representatives and the citizens they serve The 10th House, dubbed the “People’s House”, will ensure that legislative processes are transparent and make our records, proceedings, and decisions accessible When citizens can see how decisions are made, it enhances trust in the democratic process The House is committed to the following:

1. Create a centralised digital portal for all legislative documents, including bills, votes and proceedings, Official Reports, committee reports, etc.
2. Strengthen NASS TV to steam legislative sessions and committee meetings.
3. Provide regular broadcast slots for parliamentary proceedings and, discussions on public television and radio.
4. Launch a dedicated website for the House of Representatives and the office of the Speaker to make legislative documents available to the public and provide a mechanism for feedback.
5. Strengthen public participation in legislation and other legislative matters, including public hearings, town hall meetings, House of Representatives Open Week, online consultations, etc.
6. Set up dedicated channels, such as helplines or online portals, for citizens to provide feedback, ask questions, or file grievances related to legislative work.
7. Support the development of a policy to make government datasets available in open and machine-readable formats, facilitating easy analysis and understanding by the public.
8. Encourage committees to hold regular outreach programs and consultations with civil society and citizens.
9. Establish formalised partnerships with NGOs, think tanks, and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) that promote transparency, accountability, and public engagement, including BudgIT, Tracka, Follow The Money,YIAGA Africa, etc.
10. Create modalities for CSOs to contribute effectively to the oversight functions of the National Assembly and its Committees as part of the Open House initiative.
11. Mandate the publication of sessional/annual reports detailing House activities, budgets, and outcomes.
12. Promote programmes targeting the youth demographic, introducing them to legislative processes and promoting active participation (school programmes,Youth Parliament, etc).
13. Work with the National Assembly bureaucracy to activate and strengthen the civil society liaison office in the National Assembly.
14. Review the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) and other legislations to remove barriers that hinder CSOs from delivering on their mandate
15. Create a framework in partnership with relevant stakeholders such as NILDS, YIAGA Africa, etc , on constituency relations and constituency office management.