On 9 May 2026, Katiba Institute (KI), together with community members and partners, including Midrift Hurinet in Nakuru County, participated in an innovative civic engagement activity dubbed “ATI in Nature” at Hyrax Hill Museum in Nakuru County. The activity brought together young people, civil society actors, and community members in a relaxed outdoor setting to discuss the importance of Access to Information (ATI) and its role in promoting accountability, transparency, and public participation. 

The event formed part of KI’s ongoing three-year project titled “Empowering State Institutions and Citizens to Use Access to Information to Promote Good Governance and Human Rights,” implemented thanks to the support  from the Royal Norwegian Embassy. The project is being carried out in Nairobi, Nakuru, and Samburu counties and seeks to strengthen citizens’ access to information while promoting proactive disclosure of public information by government institutions. 

Over the last two and a half years, KI has undertaken a wide range of ATI-related activities in the three counties. These include community sensitisation forums, public interest litigation, training sessions for journalists, public officials, local civil society organisations, and community members, as well as media engagement and the development of information, education, and communication materials. The project has also supported institutions such as the Media Council of Kenya and the Commission on Administrative Justice to enhance the implementation of the Access to Information Act, 2016. 

ATI in Nature was organised by Zayne Njenga, a community member previously trained by KI under the project. Inspired by the need to make ATI conversations more accessible and people-centred, the initiative moved discussions away from formal workshop settings and into an interactive outdoor environment. Through activities such as a mini-hike, picnic-style conversations, games, and reflection sessions, participants explored how access to information affects their daily lives and communities. 

During the session, KI Programmes Officer Lilian Nguli introduced participants to Katiba Institute’s work and provided an overview of the ATI project in Nakuru County. She highlighted that access to information is a constitutional right guaranteed under Article 35 of the Constitution of Kenya and operationalised through the Access to Information Act, 2016. She explained that the law enables citizens to access information held by the State and by private entities where such information is necessary for the exercise or protection of a right or fundamental freedom. 

Lilian further guided participants through the process of requesting information under the law and explained the role of the Commission on Administrative Justice in handling ATI-related complaints. To support learning and civic awareness, KI distributed copies of the Constitution of Kenya 2010 and simplified handbooks on the Access to Information Act, 2016 to all participants. 

The event also featured an interactive question-and-answer session where participants discussed practical experiences with ATI requests. Hannington, a community member trained under KI’s ATI project, shared his experience submitting information requests to public institutions, including requests concerning road maintenance in Nakuru East Constituency and infrastructure projects within local schools. He explained how public institutions responded to his requests and encouraged fellow participants to actively use ATI mechanisms to demand accountability from public officials. 

Participants expressed appreciation for the forum, noting that they had gained a better understanding of their constitutional rights and the provisions of the Access to Information Act. Several participants acknowledged that they had previously been unaware of the ATI law and its practical importance in promoting transparency and citizen participation. 

The activity demonstrated that civic engagement conversations can be more effective and relatable when approached through creative, community-led, and informal methods. By combining learning, reflection, and social interaction, ATI in Nature successfully created a vibrant space where young people could connect with governance issues in a practical and meaningful way. 

As KI enters the final phase of the ATI project, initiatives such as ATI in Nature continue to demonstrate the importance of empowering communities with knowledge and tools to demand transparency, accountability, and respect for human rights.