Visiting The Parliament Of Kenya: All You Need To Know

Here is everything you need to know before planning a visit to the Parliament of Kenya. The Parliament of Kenya is the bicameral legislature of Kenya. It is based at Parliament Buildings in Nairobi and consists of two houses. The upper house is the Senate, and the lower house is the National Assembly.

The precincts of Parliament consist of several buildings. They include the Main Parliament Buildings, Continental House, Protection House, County Hall, Imani House, Harambee Sacco, County House and Ukulima House within Nairobi CBD and the Centre for Parliamentary Studies and Training (CPST) in Karen.

Planning Your Visit to the National Assembly

The national assembly is open for tours on all official working days throughout the year except when holding special events such as the State of the Nation Address by H.E. the President, Budget Day or in the occurrence of an emergency or outbreak necessitating restrictions on access to Parliament, such as COVID-19. In such cases, your visit may be rescheduled to an alternative date.

Bookings can be made by contacting the Office of the Clerk of the National Assembly. Alternatively, walk-in visitors can approach security officers at the Gates for guidance.

Observing Plenary Sessions of the National Assembly

The house sits on:

Tuesday (2.30 pm – 7.00 pm)
Wednesday (9.30 am – 1.00 pm and 2.30 pm – 7.00 pm)
Thursday (2.30 pm – 7.00 pm)

Visitors wishing to observe proceedings of the House are directed to the Public Gallery by the Protocol Officers and Serjeant-at-Arms.

Visitors to National Assembly Committees

Visitors to the National Assembly can attend committee hearings. Sittings of committees are open except in exceptional circumstances where sittings are held on camera.

The committee schedule indicating the relevant committee, venue and time of sitting is available on the Parliamentary website. Due to space constraints, visitors are admitted on a first-come, first-served basis.

School Visits to the National Assembly

Schools wishing to bring pupils and students from the ages of 6 to 18 to the National Assembly are allowed. The request may be placed through their respective Members of Parliament or by contacting the Clerk of the National Assembly.

The request should indicate the name of the institution, the proposed date of visit, as well as the number of pupils or students and the accompanying staff.

Group Tours to the National Assembly

The National Assembly conducts guided tours of Parliament for families, tourists, organisations, county assemblies, colleges and universities upon request through writing to the Clerk of the National Assembly. The facilities are friendly to people with disabilities.

Other events attracting visits to the National Assembly include:

Swearing in of Members of Parliament State Opening of Parliament
State of the Nation Address by the President
Pronouncement of Budget highlights by the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury (Budget Day)
Parliamentary Open Day/ Week
Sittings of the East African Legislative Assembly in Kenya

Rules and Guidelines for Visitors

The rules and guidelines regarding admission and conduct of visitors to the National Assembly are contained in the Speaker’s Rules. Some of the rules include:

a) Decent dress code by visitors. For admission to the Speaker’s Gallery, male visitors must wear a tie and a coat or blazer.

b) Maintaining silence in the Public Gallery at all times.

c) Not cheering or applauding in the galleries.

d) Not taking notes in the galleries.

e) Not filming, taking photographs or using mobile phones in the galleries. Photography and the use of mobile phones in Parliament are limited to certain areas. If you are not sure about where you can take photos, please ask Protocol Officers or Serjeant-at-Arms for information and help.

How to access the National Assembly (Parliament Building)

Parliament Building is located at Parliament Road, Nairobi It is easy to get to the Parliament Building by car, public transport or by foot. From the City Centre, take Harambee Avenue to Parliament Road.

The public is allowed to use two entrances to the National Assembly: one along Parliament Road opposite KICC parking and the other along Harambee Avenue opposite County Hall. Visitors are advised to make their own parking arrangements.

Please ensure you carry your National Identity Card or passport. You are additionally expected to cooperate with security officers at the entrance and anywhere else within the vicinity of Parliament. Following clearance by security, your identification document shall be retained by security officers, and you will be issued with a Visitor’s Card which must be returned at the time of departure.