By F, KNA
The Parliamentary Broadcasting and Library Committee on Tuesday began its tour of county libraries, starting with Uasin Gishu, to explore the establishment of Parliamentary Corners as part of efforts to bring Parliament closer to citizens.
Speaking during a visit to the Eldoret Library, Committee Chairperson and Turkana West MP Daniel Nanok said the initiative aims to enhance transparency and strengthen public participation in governance.
“Libraries are trusted community hubs. By setting up Parliamentary Corners, citizens will have direct access to legislative documents and parliamentary reports, which will foster accountability and civic education,” Nanok stated.
Uasin Gishu Governor Dr. Jonathan Bii welcomed the move, noting that the county plans to rebuild the facility into a modern library complete with a youth centre and amphitheatre, thereby making parliamentary resources more accessible to citizens.
“We fully embrace this initiative as we work to deliver a state-of-the-art youth centre and library that will serve as a hub of knowledge and innovation for Uasin Gishu. This partnership will revitalise our libraries into vibrant spaces where citizens, especially the youth, can learn, innovate and engage in governance,” said Bii.
The initiative has been lauded as a breakthrough that will simplify the public’s understanding of Parliament while providing essential resources.
The Eldoret Library, which was vandalised and burnt during the June 2024 protests, is set for reconstruction.
The Committee is also expected to visit libraries in Elgeyo Marakwet, Kakamega and Kisumu counties to assess available spaces and accessibility before entering into formal agreements with county governments to establish the Parliamentary resource hubs.
Other committee members who took part in the visit included Timothy Torotich (Marakwet West), Phelix Odiwuor (Langata), Shakeel Shabir (Kisumu East) and Abdirahman Mohammed Abdi (Lafey).
Also, present were county officials including County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Sports, Youth Affairs, ICT and Innovation, Robert Kemei and CECM for Culture and Heritage, Eng. Lucy Ngendo, among others.