Parliamentary Affairs and Public Participation Programme

The main aim of this programme is to promote public participation in parliamentary affairs as well as to build the capacity of the members of parliament on their roles, functions and responsibilities. The programme has activities that assist the constituencies to have strong links with their members of parliament, whereby they are able to engage them on the identified needs of their constituencies, to hold them to account and give report backs on the mandate that they have been given. This also includes the capacity building of political parties on the principles of good governance which they have to apply when they ascend to the national assembly.

MPs Capacity Building

The unit also offers capacity building for the parliamentary portfolio committees on their roles, functions and responsibilities. This is where they get training on budget formulation, budget monitoring and tracking. These activities are aimed at ensuring that the MPs in their capacity are able to play their oversight role of holding the executive to account as well as to ensure that the parliament decisions on the executive are implemented. Specific project activities are as follows;

Monitor and support MPs report backs: Members of parliament with this programme receive organisational support on quarterly basis to organise report back sessions for their constituencies.

Advocate for the enactment of public participation Act: In order to ensure that constituency clinics as well as MPs report backs mechanisms are well systemised, the organisation is in a mission to lobby parliament and government to enact public participation act.

Capacity building of political parties on principles of good governance: In furtherance of strengthening parliamentary democracy, the program provides political parties’ capacity building on institutionalisation of good governance within parties’ systems.

Public Participation

The unit is entrusted with the advocacy of the enactment of the public participation act, which will allow all citizens to participate directly on all issues of governance, as well as affording them the right to sue when they are denied their right of participation. Furthermore, the unit also advocates for the full participation of the public in the reform process while also ensuring that the views and perspectives of the people are incorporated in the reforms.

Facilitate for establishment of constituency parliamentary clinics: within selected constituencies TRC works towards establishing constituency clinics. These constituency clinics should provide strong links between members of parliament and their constituencies. The constituency clinics are further expected to be conduits of community needs and transmitters of reports from MPs.

Advocacy for public participation in parliamentary reforms: As a part of our contribution in the constitutional reform imminence recommended by various international partners and domestic role players, TRC intends to mobilise for public participation in the intended constitutional – parliamentary reforms. Rationale behind mobilising public participation rests on understanding that inclusion of the public in the reform project of the country must be ensured.