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Umsetzungszeitraum 2017-2019
Ort Kakamega County, Kenia
Kontakt www.desece.org
Datum
01.12.2019
Von
Development Education Services for Community Empowerment (DESECE)

Improving Public Participation in County Politics

Themenfeld: Policy Dialogue
Policy Dialogue
Human Rights & Civ. Soc.
Learn&Share: knowhow3000
Co-financing

PROBLEM & SOLUTION

Public participation forums for policy, legislative and other planning processes in Bungoma County in Kenya failed to reach a wide audience. Notifications were not adequately disseminated and due to limited resources they were held only at the sub-county level. Moreover, inefficiencies in the use of available resources further exacerbated non-participation of communities, and the forums did not include stakeholders from diverse political backgrounds but favoured the government.

The solution was

  1. Addressing the gaps in community participation by emphasizing a bottom up approach to policy dialogue.
  2. Strengthening good governance.
  3. Empowering communities with knowledge about their civil rights.
  4. Enabling local leaders and community members to track development issues in their areas.

the experience

Low public participation and dissatisfaction with county government services created challenges in inclusion and effective program delivery. Through the project, several positive changes emerged:

  • Community members adopted policy dialogue as a tool for engaging with leaders, replacing combative approaches.
  • Communities became more aware of the services specific government institutions are mandated to provide.
  • Improved community cohesion as members united to address shared issues.
  • Reduced reliance on demonstrations, fostering more meaningful engagement in county programming.

Challenges

  • Issues regarding community-government relations remain: some leaders expect allowances
  • Access to information is critical, as political leaders keep info from citizens

Impact

  • Greater awareness of government’s responsibility regarding certain services
  • Dialogue instead of combative approaches
  • Community members joined forces for common cause
  • Improved intergenerational relations due to collaboration
  • Recognition of government officials

Lessons Learned

  • Investing in good relationships with the policy makers and implementers is effective
  • Building synergies in the county through CSO platforms and networks is effective

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