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Strategic Area: Goal 2 - Leadership and Governance
Improved Democratic Governance through effective Public Participation
The project worked towards raising awareness among citizens on the role they played in holding their leaders accountable and ensuring that provisions in the Constitution are upheld.
This was achieved through local-to-local organizing, knowledge transfer and public/mass education. It is envisaged that public education would bridge the gap between what was envisaged in the law and what is implemented on ground. The purpose was therefore to raise the quality and effectiveness of public participation from being a tick box, rubber stamp to a process that would bring about transformative leadership in the communities, especially for its grassroots women.
GROOTS Kenya invested in training 180 TOTs from all the 60 wards of Kakamega (3 per ward). The TOTs were trained in Public Expenditure Management (PEM), which is the process through which the County managed its finances. In turn, the TOTs carried out civic education in their respective communities. The TOTs conducted continuous and targeted civic education in Kakamega County on devolution and the PEM cycle. This was accomplished through local house-to-house meetings, community barazas, chief's meetings, etc. The TOTs also used mass media through local and community radio to raise awareness in the community.
The project also supported the TOTs in mobilizing communities to effectively engage in the County Budget estimate. Another key activity under the project was the Social Audit of community projects that the TOTs carried out in the community.
Donor: USAID- AHADI Kenya
Target County: Kakamega
Project Achievements
By educating the public and especially women on their civic rights & responsibilities as well as providing a platform on which to communicate in a timely and productive manner with County Government officials, women who are traditionally and routinely left behind were not only involved in the governance process but were able to influence decision making. Most importantly, the women champions were able to influence budget allocations towards community needs.
GROOTS Kenya utilized the trained TOTs to sensitize and mobilize more community members towards effective engagement in the relevant county development planning processes.
