The Hansard Association of Kenya (HAK) has received praise for its significant contribution to the development of hansard officers within both national and county legislatures.

Speaking during the closing ceremony of HAK's week-long conference, the Deputy Clerk of the Senate, Ms. Eunice Gichangi, acknowledged the Association's substantial progress in its own growth and the advancement of its members.

She encouraged the Association to strengthen its strategic alliances with stakeholders to maintain this positive momentum, emphasizing the crucial role of networks in capacity building.

“HAK has successfully integrated other vital stakeholders, such as academia, which is commendable. This not only enhances the conference's reputation but also introduces diverse expertise and provides an essential platform for both capacity building and networking”, Ms. Gichangi stated.

Highlighting the presence of representatives from the National Land Commission, the Judiciary, and the Intergovernmental Relations Technical Committee at the conference, Ms. Gichangi expressed the need for Constitutional Commissions to establish Hansard Services to foster good governance and democracy.

Addressing proposals for legislatures to consider processing Hansard records in various local languages, Ms. Gichangi informed the forum that while this was a progressive step, it would necessitate a review of legislative Standing Orders to accommodate linguistic diversity.

She however observed that Standing Orders should be dynamic to better facilitate good governance.

Several conference participants had strongly advocated for language diversity, particularly within county legislatures, to address inclusivity gaps in legislative proceedings.

Ms. Gichangi also extended gratitude to the National Assembly for sponsoring this year's conference and pledged ongoing parliamentary support for the Association's and the profession's development.

Earlier, the Director of Hansard and Audio Services in the Senate, Ms. Gladys Ndenda, reflected on the Association's journey leading up to the successful 7th annual conference.

Recalling that the initial conference was primarily internal with limited participation from county Hansard staff, she lauded the organizers of the recent conference for ensuring broad representation from county assemblies and for attracting participation from four African legislatures.

Approximately 36 County Assemblies were represented at the conference, which also included Hansard officers from Uganda, Tanzania, Ghana, and Malawi.

Ms. Ndenda urged Uganda to take the lead in establishing an East African chapter, envisioning it as a valuable platform for the exchange of ideas among regional Hansard professionals.

Also speaking at the closing session, the President of the Association, Mr. George Wanyoko (Senate), and the Acting Director of Hansard and Audio Services in the National Assembly, Mr. Stephen Mutungi, thanked parliamentary management for their consistent support of the annual conference for the past seven years and appealed for its continuation.

Key discussions during the conference centered on the integration of emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence, which the forum concluded should augment, not replace, human capabilities to enhance work efficiency.

The forum also addressed the well-being of Hansard professionals, particularly concerning their prolonged periods of sitting.

The conference also explored the standardization of Hansard processing nationwide, which participants agreed would require establishing minimum qualifications for Hansard reporters and the adoption of accredited processing programs.