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People’s Parliament is self explanatory. It is an open, horizontal space where ordinary citizens meet, discuss, deliberate and make decisions about the issues that affect them. Social and economic justice issues, religion, economics, politics and international relations are among the subjects of people’s parliaments … (about 1/2).
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Call to Action; Campaigns; Monitoring Parliament; Jeevanjee’s gardens; News; WSF; Sites; Statistics; KENGO;
Contact online.
About 2/2: … In Kenya, the People’s Parliament or ’Bunge La Mwananchi’ is present in several towns across the country. The oldest gathering of People’s Parliament has been meeting everyday at the Jeevanjee Gardens park for the past 15 years to discuss social issues.
It has, presently, over 10,000 individual members. People’s Parliaments, by design, have no leaders. By nature they are initiated, run and organised by people collectively.
Membership is voluntary and one can participate in actions and disengage at will. This has enabled the People’s Parliaments to survive infiltration by state security agents who, apparently, are not amused when ordinary citizens have the audacity to take matters affecting them into their own hands.
The lack of established permanent leadership structures protects the People’s Parliaments from being taken over and controlled by power-hungry individuals. Any member can take the lead in any given initiative. Each member has the right to get as involved as possible- after all, matters discussed and actions taken have a direct effect on all members.
Decisions of People’s Parliaments are made by consensus. Participation is purely on a voluntary basis. Resources required for any action, whether material or human resources are contributed by the members themselves. People’s Parliaments offer a very easy, effective, efficient and sustainable platform not only to provide a check and balance against the official state parliaments, but also for the ordinary citizens to actively participate in crafting solutions to any problem or issue affecting them.
In Kenya there are several People’s Parliaments in several different locations, some of which are run and supported by the Kenya Network of Grassroots Organisations (KENGO).
Link: Bunge La Mwananchi.