This archive report was first published on 11 October 2019.
Devolution in Siaya County is facing significant challenges, with leaders and civil society groups pointing to poor public participation and accountability as major obstacles.
According to members of the Siaya County Assembly and civil society groups, county governments have failed to make a meaningful impact on the lives of residents due to a lack of engagement and consultation with communities.
Speaking at the launch of the 'Citizen Watch for Good Governance' campaign by CIAG-Kenya, a civil society group, leaders said that millions of shillings had been spent on projects that were not a priority to the beneficiaries.
Ben Adala, a nominated MCA, and Shirley Irene, another nominated MCA, highlighted the disconnect between projects implemented and service delivery, citing the example of health facilities being constructed without equipment or staff.
Adala emphasized the need for civic education and proper public participation, stating, 'During budgeting, we miss out on the real problem facing our people. Civic education has not been felt in this county and thus we need to work together as a team to help make devolution a success.'
Shirley Irene added that many residents kept off public participation meetings due to apathy caused by the failure of the executive to implement projects proposed in earlier proposals.
Chris Owalla, a human rights activist and representative of CIAG-K, said that the Citizen Watch for Good Governance project would help residents understand their rights and engage the county government, especially in the budget-making process.
However, Siaya County Director of Budget and Planning, Jack Odinga, argued that the county had always done advertisements on public participation, but the quality of engagement remained poor due to apathy.
Published on October 11, 2019.
