People dialogue festival timely idea
By Editorial, February 26, 2025History has shown that the Kenyan political elite thrives on the ignorance of some citizens about the effect of key policy decisions on their lives.
Because of this, there has always been well-orchestrated legislation targeting people’s freedoms, especially bordering on access to information, media and the liberty to assemble.
The thinking is that a more informed populace will demand accountability on the conduct of public officials, especially their elected representatives and independent offices.
Tyrannical regimes have often passed punitive laws aimed at gagging the people and denying them avenues of engagement on public affairs. Many Kenyans paid the ultimate price while agitating for the entrenchment of these fundamental rights in the Constitution.
Besides the Bill of Rights, the demand for public participation in key decision-making is among the hallmarks of the Constitution.
This is a deliberate move that puts and shields ordinary people at the centre of national conversations. That is why we associate ourselves with the upcoming People Dialogue Festival (PDF), scheduled for 5-8 March at Uhuru Park in Nairobi under the theme “Building a Collaborative Democracy for Kenya’s Sustainable Future”.
Organisers of PDF, a flagship initiative of the Centre for Multiparty Democracy-Kenya, describe the platform as an essential platform for hosting an extensive dialogue, particularly in the wake of high-octane political dynamics that have intensified divisions and ignited public discourse on governance, accountability, and inclusivity.
Kenya’s political landscape, they say, has been characterised by tensions that have deepened societal divisions and threatened cohesion.
The festival, they emphasised, offers Kenyans a rare platform that ensures dialogue extends beyond political elites to include marginalised voices – the people with disabilities, women, young people, minorities, grassroots organisations, and nontraditional actors like citizen movements.
Organisers also point out that in a society increasingly sceptical of political processes, dialogue is more than a conversation – it is a lifeline for democratic engagement.
Those expected to attend include elected leaders, government officials, civil society organisations, private-sector representatives, youth and women’s groups, media, academia, trade unions, and diplomatic missions.