Public participation in the life of a government and parliament is not just a moral obligation on the part of parliament and legislators, but is also a constitutional obligation. Good governance must include initiatives to strengthen the institutions of government and civil society, with a view to making government transparent, democratic and accountable to the public. Participation in the governance and administration of a country by legislators together with civil society are indispensable if the state is to function effectively. This prevents the abuse or misuse of administrative authority and political power. It also serves as a check on the activities of the administrators and rulers, and allows a diversity of viewpoints to be aired. The aim of this article is to get the views of citizens regarding the role they can play in governance. Questionnaires with open and close-ended questions were administered to members of the civil s