Civil Society Organizations Evaluate Progress of Devolution at 10

By Grace Mwende

A group of Civil Society Organizations, led by Act Change Transform Kenya (ACT), launched the Devolution at 10 Survey Report on Thursday, to assess the impact of devolution in Kenya on its 10th anniversary.

Hosted by the Kenya Devolution Civil Society Working Group (KDCWG), the event provided a platform for citizens to reflect on the progress made and to shape the trajectory of devolution for the future.

The KDCWG, comprised of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) networks representing all 47 counties, played a pivotal role in orchestrating the event.

Their aim is to amplify citizen voices and address their needs in the implementation of devolution, both at the national and county levels.

Speaking at the launch, Dr. Silvia Vundi, Director, Intergovernmental Relation Division, State Department of Devolution said that as a national government, they appreciated it was a challenge dealing with corruption and tribalism in the country. She expressed the desire for investigating agencies to bring to book culprits involved in corruption, aiming to eliminate the menace.

Additionally, she emphasized that it was upon every citizen to understand that they did not need to give a bribe to obtain services.

Many services that citizens expected from counties are ranking very low, implying that the level of satisfaction is negative… Citizens expected that devolution would change their lives, but instead they have encountered massive corruption which has slowed service delivery to the extent that critical services such as health and agriculture are affected…. There is massive tribalism in some counties which gives room for massive corruption.

The survey report delves into various aspects of devolution, assessing its impact on governance, service delivery, and citizen participation.

With a theme of ‘Reflecting on the journey; Shaping the future,’ the report offers insights gleaned from the experiences and perspectives of citizens across the nation.Key findings from the report highlight successes and challenges encountered in the past decade of devolution.

It examines the effectiveness of devolved governance structures in addressing local needs and fostering development. Moreover, it scrutinizes the level of citizen engagement in decision-making processes at the county level.One of the focal points of discussion during the launch was the need for enhanced transparency and accountability in devolved governance.

Participants emphasized the importance of mechanisms to ensure that resources allocated to counties are utilized efficiently and for the benefit of all citizens.

Furthermore, the survey report underscores the imperative of strengthening the capacity of county governments to deliver essential services effectively.

This includes investments in infrastructure, healthcare, education, and agriculture, among others, to uplift the quality of life for all citizens.