Transparency International Kenya has warned that public participation in Kenya is increasingly being treated as a mere formality, with political interests overriding constitutional requirements in the vetting of candidates for elective and appointive public positions.
The anti-corruption watchdog said many public forums meant to gather citizens’ views are conducted simply to “tick a box,” without genuine consideration of the feedback provided by the public.
The organisation noted that this trend weakens accountability and undermines the spirit of the Constitution of Kenya 2010, which requires transparency and meaningful citizen involvement in governance processes.
TI Kenya called on institutions responsible for vetting public officials to prioritise integrity, constitutional standards, and the public interest over political influence.