Kenya
County Governments Act
Formally: County Governments Act
County Governments Act, No. 17 of 2012; s. 14(3) (open proceedings); Constitution of Kenya 2010, Art. 196(1)(a) (open business requirement)
Sunshine Score
| Advance Notice | 7 days, online posting required |
|---|---|
| Public Comment | Not required |
| Closed Sessions | 1 permitted category |
| Minutes | Required, online posting required |
| Recording | Not required |
| Remote Participation | Not allowed |
| Enforcement | Voidable, legislature exempt |
Agenda & Notice Requirements
Online posting: Required
The County Governments Act does not specify notice periods in the statute itself. Under s. 14(1), each county assembly adopts its own Standing Orders to regulate its procedure. Until Standing Orders are adopted, the National Assembly Standing Orders apply with necessary modifications (s. 14(7)). Notice periods therefore vary by county assembly. Most county assembly Standing Orders require 3–7 days' notice for ordinary sittings and shorter notice for special sittings.
Public Participation
The Constitution (Art. 196(1)(b)) requires county assemblies to facilitate public participation and involvement in the legislative and other business of the assembly. The Public Participation Act, No. 6 of 2023 further operationalizes this obligation. Specific public comment procedures at meetings are set by each county assembly's Standing Orders.
Virtual Meetings
The County Governments Act 2012 predates remote participation frameworks. No national statutory provision for member remote participation has been identified. Individual county assemblies may address this in their Standing Orders.
Closed Sessions
Closed (executive) sessions: Allowed under specific circumstances
Permitted Categories
Meeting Minutes
Online posting: Required
Content requirements: Minutes of county assembly sittings are required under the Standing Orders adopted by each assembly. The County Assemblies Powers and Privileges Act, No. 6 of 2017 establishes the committee structure for investigating breaches, including breaches of openness obligations.
Recording & Broadcast
Enforcement
Accessibility & Language Access
Language access: The Constitution of Kenya (Art. 7) recognizes both English and Kiswahili as official languages. County assemblies may conduct business in either language; multilingual access to proceedings varies by county.