Parliament may soon take a bold step into the digital age by incorporating social media feedback into the national budget-making process. This move, if adopted, could transform how Kenyans participate in shaping the country’s economic future.
National Assembly Finance and National Planning Committee Chairperson Kimani Kuria has confirmed that lawmakers are rethinking how they gather public views. Speaking on Tuesday, April 8, during an interview on NTV, Kuria said Parliament intends to move away from outdated approaches that rely heavily on formal submissions.
“In the National Assembly and the Finance and National Planning Committee, we are discussing how the current approach to public participation is too traditional,” he said.
For years, public input on government policies has largely come through written memoranda, emails, and scheduled forums. But Kuria believes these methods no longer reflect the way most citizens communicate. Today, conversations about taxation, spending, and economic priorities happen in real time—and often online.
“We should consider feedback from social media platforms as legitimate public participation,” Kuria said. “We shouldn’t insist that people must send emails. Many don’t use email, but they are on platforms like WhatsApp.”
Kuria stressed that Parliament must meet citizens where they already are: on digital platforms. He pointed to vibrant conversations taking place not just on Facebook or Twitter (now X), but also in community WhatsApp groups, TikTok videos, and YouTube comment sections.
“We’re talking about community WhatsApp groups, TikTok conversations, and even YouTube forums where people are expressing real concerns about taxation, spending, and economic priorities. That’s where real public discourse is happening today,” he said.
As part of its modernization efforts, the Finance Committee is developing a digital public participation framework. This initiative aims to enable Kenyans to take part in budget discussions through approved and secure online platforms.
Kuria said the committee is considering tools that can track trending topics, extract structured feedback from social media, and verify digital submissions through user authentication.
He argued that Parliament cannot afford to ignore massive online reactions to policy proposals. Viral videos expressing public outrage or posts with thousands of comments, he said, deserve attention equal to that given to formal submissions.
“If a video goes viral showing public anger over a tax proposal, should we really ignore that?” he asked. “If thousands of comments on a post express dissatisfaction, isn’t that feedback just as valid as someone speaking at a town hall meeting?”
To support this digital transition, Kuria hinted that Parliament may partner with tech firms and civil society groups to design user-friendly platforms. These platforms would simplify proposed laws and make it easier for ordinary Kenyans to share their views in plain, accessible formats.
“We must stop assuming that just because someone didn’t come to Parliament or didn’t email us, they don’t care,” he said. “In reality, they are engaging in large numbers—just not in the ways we’re used to.”
By embracing digital public participation, Kuria believes Parliament can reduce tensions that often arise when citizens feel excluded from key decisions. He argued that when people understand the Finance Bill early in the process, they’re more likely to engage constructively.
“If people feel heard from the beginning, and if they understand what the Finance Bill is about before it reaches the debate stage, we believe there will be less resistance and more meaningful dialogue,” he said.
As Parliament begins the 2025 budget cycle, Kuria emphasized that lawmakers must go beyond informing the public—they must also ensure Kenyans have early, transparent access to the process.
