Embu County Assembly will revive plans to decentralise its plenary sittings to the wards to give residents a better understanding of devolution.
Majority leader Michael Njeru said transacting legislative business in the furthest corner of the county will encourage better citizen participation in county governance and educate the common mwananchi on the roles of the county assemblies.
The Kithimu MCA said the ‘Bunge Mashinani’ concept had succeeded in several other counties, adding that Embu would also endeavor to reach more of its people in the same fashion. He was analyzing a report by the Selection Committee on the status of selected county legislatures which the committee visited on a study tour in April.
Njeru said the assembly had started by holding public participation forums in each of the 20 wards, but the plan was unsustainable due to logistical challenges and lack of resources.
He, however, said the legislature has made adequate plans to ensure ward reps hold sittings outside the County Assembly precincts.
Similar sentiments were voiced by Minority leader Lenny Masters, who said Embu should not lag behind as other counties roll out the outreach programme aimed at educating residents of how the county assemblies function.
He lauded ‘Bunge Mashinani’ as a well-thought-out idea that would also encourage more people to join county leadership.
Masters, who is the Kiambere MCA, expressed confidence that the initiative would also improve the livelihoods of people living in remote parts of Embu by providing an avenue for them to interact with their elected leaders, air their grievances and also spell out priority development projects.
Speaker Josiah Thiriku has in the past hinted that the assembly was in the process of launching ‘Bunge Mashinani’ sittings where Motions would be debated, matters of county importance ventilated upon and Bills enacted.
