The senate of Kenya has recently approved plans to hold plenary and committee sittings in Kilifi County for one week in September 2026.
The sessions, scheduled for September 21 to 25, are part of efforts to decentralise parliamentary operations by taking legislative processes closer to the public.
The initiative is anchored in the Constitution of Kenya, including Article 93, which establishes the Senate, and Article 96, which outlines its mandate to represent and protect the interests of counties and their governments.
Senators to hold plenary committee sessions in Kilifi in September 2026. Photo: Courtesy.
By convening outside Parliament Buildings, lawmakers aim to enhance public awareness of the Senate’s role, promote citizen engagement in legislative matters, and strengthen collaboration with county governments while fostering knowledge exchange between parliamentary and county assembly staff.
The decision stems from a recommendation by the Senate Business Committee, which was adopted by the House on March 8, 2023.
Under the resolution, the Senate is mandated to hold at least one week of sittings in a county every September throughout the term of the Fourth Senate, except during election years.
The upcoming Kilifi sessions will continue this decentralisation programme, which has previously seen the Senate sit outside Nairobi in Uasin Gishu County in 2018, Kitui County in 2019, Turkana County in 2023, and Busia County in 2025.
These outreach sittings have been widely viewed as key in strengthening public participation, enhancing awareness of Senate functions, and advancing the broader devolution agenda.
