New Bill proposes mandatory funding for civic education in county budgets

The Bill is sponsored by Nominated Senator Esther Okenyuri.

In Summary
  • The national and county governments shall facilitate the establishment of channels and forums for civic education.

  • They shall mainstream civic education programmes in the governments' activities and programmes.

UDA Nominated Senator Esther Okenyuri
UDA Nominated Senator Esther Okenyuri
Image: SCREENGRAB

Counties may be required to allocate budget funds for civic education if a Bill sponsored by Nominated Senator Esther Okenyuri is enacted into law.

The bill seeks to establish a legal framework for the promotion of civic education in Kenya as an essential tool for building responsible citizenship, civic engagement, and democratic values among the citizens. 

Okenyuri in her bill seeks that both the national and county governments promote civic education. 

"The county and national governments shall promote civic education by ensuring that a percentage of the budget of the National and county governments and other entities is set aside for civic education programmes," the bill reads in part. 

Every county will be required to establish county civic education programmes to realise the objectives of the bill. 

The bill also seeks that the two governments collaborate to determine the contents of the curriculum for civic education taking into account the provisions of Article 33 of the Constitution. 

Additionally, the national and county governments shall facilitate the establishment of channels and forums for civic education.

They shall mainstream civic education programmes in the governments' activities and programmes.

The bill mandates the two governments to create and develop sustainable and innovative approaches toward civic education programmes. 

"The county and national governments shall promote civic education by promoting the linkages between universities and research institutions and the public for continuous civic education," the bill states. 

To achieve all these, the bill seeks that the county executive committee members shall enter into partnerships with local and international educational institutions in order to promote the growth of civic education. 

The CEC shall also establish programmes for the certification and admission of non-governmental organisations and other non-state actors into the county civic education programmes. 

"The county executive committee shall establish online and other platforms for access to information. It shall also establish and develop online civic education programmes, access to fiscal and non-fiscal support," the bill stated. 

CECs shall also keep and maintain a directory of Non-Governmental Organisations and other non-state actors providing civic education. 

They shall be mandated to put in place mechanisms to enable access to entities from marginalized groups to access civic education programmes; and put in place facilitative structures that ensure access to civic education at the national and county levels.

There shall also be established online and among other innovative platforms setting out information on existing civic education programmes. 

The platforms shall be established by the CECs who will also "prescribe a criterion for the evaluation of entities, programmes and structures set up to implement this Act."


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