This department is charged with the general production, storage and dissemination of information to and for use by members of the assembly, staff and other interested stakeholders. The directorate is comprised of Hansard, Research, Library, ICT, PR and Public Communication sections.

  1. Hansard Section

Hansard is the accurate and impartial record of the proceedings of the Assembly. It is an invaluable record of the House which serves as a repository of records for Assembly procedure, law, practices and conventions. It provides evidence and authenticates the Assembly work.

Establishment of Hansard department is anchored on the Assembly Standing Order 221, sections (1), (2) and (3) thus:

  • There shall be published within Forty Eight hours a verbatim Report of all proceedings of the County Assembly unless the Speaker is satisfied that this is rendered impossible by some emergency.
  • Every Member shall have an opportunity to correct the draft verbatim report of their contribution, but not so as to alter the substance of what the Member actually said.
  • Where there is doubt as to the content of the verbatim record of the County Assembly, the Speaker shall make a determination.

Mandates of the Department

  • To undertake accurate, prompt, clear and independent verbatim recording and reporting of Assembly proceedings.
  • To transcribe Assembly proceedings.
  • To edit Member’s words to remove redundancies, obvious grammatical mistakes, slips of the tongue and unnecessary repetitions but without altering the intended meaning, except with express authority from the Speaker.
  • To produce and publish edited Hansard Reports.
  • To liaise with ICT department to ensure that verbatim Assembly Reports are uploaded and available on the Assembly website.
  • To facilitate communication with the hard of hearing in the plenary and other outreach activities involving the Members of County Assembly    

2. Research Section

The Research Section provides expert and impartial research and information to support Members of the County Assembly and their committees in fulfilling their Legislative, Oversight and Representative functions. The section works in collaboration with Committee Clerks and Clerks at the Table in investigative and analytical overtures. It majorly gives expert analysis of policy and legislative options at primary levels before presentations at the Plenary.

The Objectives of the Section are;

  1. Provide Research and Technical Support for Committees
  2. Respond to research information needs of the members
  3. Policy Analysis and documentary reviews
  4. Research work, publication and information dissemination

 

3. Public Relations Section

The PR office has experienced tremendous growth since its establishment. The office has endeavored to improve the image of the Assembly by constantly engaging the public on the businesses of the Assembly and its outreach activities.

 

Mandates of the Section

The office derives its mandate from the County Government Act of 2012 Part IX- Public Communication and Access to Information- that seeks to enhance public participation in representation as well as enhancing public relations and image of the Assembly. In addition, the office is also mandated to handle the protocol aspect of the Assembly and other Public Relations related activities.

 

The objectives of the Section include;

  1. To enhance public engagement with the Assembly.
  2. To promote, protect and monitor the image of the Assembly.

Specific activities of the Section are:

  1. Coordinate and organize outreach programmes.(School visits and Exhibitions)
  2. Events/Activities coordination and management in liaison with relevant offices
  3. Preparation of publications as information facilities
  4. Answer to enquiries, Receive and guide visitors (customer care service)
  5. Production of promotional materials: Corporate shirts and Polo T-shirts, Brochures, Handbooks, Fliers, Diaries and Business cards

 

4. Public Communication and Media Relations Section

The Section’s principal mandate is to work on modalities of ensuring that the County Assembly’s mandates, vision, mission and aspirations are well articulated and espoused to the outside world. The ability to provide for detailed, accurate and timely information about the County Assembly activities is at the heart of the Section’s exciting output.

Mandate of the Section

The Section’s foremost mandate is to serve as the vanguard between the Assembly and the Media. Its core mandate is to communicate effectively with the public via the media on a diverse range of topics, from publicizing an Assembly Committee’s activities to promoting events at the County Assembly.

Sectional Objectives

The Section aims to make it easier for people from the outside to have a better understanding of the County Assembly. The Section aids in operationalizing the principle of public participation, public involvement and public awareness in the legislative and other business of the Assembly and its Committees.

The Public Communications and Media Relations Section aims:-

  1. To enhance public awareness on the constitutional mandate of the County Assembly
  2. To provide open, clear and proactive information in communicating expectations and impacts of engagement activities of the County Assembly. Such include the legal, budgetary and resource implications of Bills and other oversight activities.
  3. To enhance accountability and openness of the County Assembly to the general public.
  4. To provide timely information and analysis to help inform discussions among public and stakeholders on the activities of the County Assembly.
  5. To develop and implement strategic plans to enhance appropriate branding and public visibility of the activities of the County Assembly and its leadership through media engagement.

 

5. Library section

Mandates 

The Siaya County Assembly Library Section provides members of the County Assembly, staff and the public by extension with the relevant information resources and reprographic services and as such acts as the Assembly’s main reference point.  The mandate of the library is to acquire, process, and disseminate information resources for the county assembly of Siaya.

 The objectives of the section are;

  • To continually seek to identify user needs.
  • Build, maintain and sustain library resources.
  • Provide relevant information for the county assembly of Siaya.
  • Process information resources for easy retrieval
  • Conserve library and research materials.

 

6. Information and Communication Technology Section

In supporting the overall mandate of legislation, representation and oversight, the ICT Section of the Siaya County Assembly is mandated to ensure that enabling ICT system and technologies are provided for effective data and voice communication. This includes effective gateway access via the internet, a working internal wired and wireless network, voice and data equipment and user terminals e.g. laptops, desktops and mobile devices and related software

The Section’s core functions are;

  1. Management of Information Systems,
  2. Management of Network services
  3. Providing user support and training
  4. ICT equipment maintenance
  5. Management of ICT use and ensuring security in a comprehensive and coordinated way.
  6. Enabling internet access and internet communication
  7. Website management.