Article 118. Public access and participation
Official Constitutional Text
118. (1) Parliament shall—
(a) conduct its business in an open manner, and its sittings and those of its committees shall be open to the public; and
(b) facilitate public participation and involvement in the legislative and other business of Parliament and its committees.
(2) Parliament may not exclude the public, or any media, from any sitting unless in exceptional circumstances the relevant Speaker has determined that there are justifiable reasons for the exclusion.
Plain English Explanation
This is a simplified summary to explain this article in clear language. It is not the legal text of the Constitution.
Article 118 of the Kenyan Constitution mandates transparency in legislative processes by requiring that Parliament conduct its business, including committee sittings, in an open manner. It explicitly compels Parliament to facilitate public participation and bans the exclusion of the public or media unless justifiable, exceptional circumstances are determined by the Speaker.