Kenyans have turned up in numbers for a public participation exercise on the proposed Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill No. 4 of 2025.

The National Assembly on Monday, May 5, 2025, announced the start of the exercise in the various constituency offices across the country for the next four days until Thursday, May 8, 2025.

Other than the National Government Constituencies Development Fund, the national discussion also seeks to collect views on whether to anchor two other critical development funds in the Constitution: the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) and the Senate Oversight Fund (SOF).

Heeding the call, residents thronged the various destinations for the hearings.

In Kakamega County, Amalemba residents convened at the office of Kakamega County Women Representative Elsie Muhanda.

Through a statement on its Facebook page, Parliament confirmed that a team from the National Assembly was concurrently collecting feedback in Mumias East, Khwisero, and Ikolomani Constituency CDF offices to ensure inclusive participation.

In Ndia Constituency, Kirinyanga County, area MP George Kariuki and a team of parliamentary officers took participants through the bill and its proposals for amendment to the constitution.

National Assembly Clerk Assistant Abdullahi Keinan Aden led a team that had set up base at the Mandera East Constituency Office, in Mandera Town.

The stakeholders, led by the County Director of Education Abdi Sheikh expressed dismay that the current operating funds are not entrenched in the constitution.

“We are dismayed by the fact that this fund, which has had a tremendous impact in promoting education in the area, is not enshrined in the Constitution,” the County Director of Education stated.

“We want to call upon the government to go beyond ensuring the law is enshrined in the Constitution and increase the Fund so as to support the advancement of education in the county,” he added.

Citing personal examples of how the funds have transformed the lives of the people in the county, they have called for the expedited anchorage of the funds in the Constitution, as well as scaling up of the funds to help supplement funds disbursed to the county. 

Other regions where citizens got the chance to present their views included, Wajir where all six constituencies—Wajir North, Wajir East, Wajir West, Wajir South, Tarbaj, and Eldas, took part, and Nyeri County, where all six sub-counties—Othaya, Mukurwe-ini, Mathira, Nyeri Town, Tetu, and Kieni- engaged in the forum.

Embu, Trans Nzoia, Siaya, Kisumu, West Pokot, Bungoma, Narok, Kwale, and Tana River counties also participated in the public discussion on Monday.