Research/academic paper

Review of Status of Public Participation and County Information Dissemination Frameworks: A Case Study of Isiolo Kisumu Makueni and Turkana Counties

The Constitution of Kenya in 2010 gave prominence to the principle of public participation. Participation should imbue all public affairs and be promoted by both Non-State Actors and the State acting in public interest. The Constitution sets key requirements for the legislature at both levels of government to provide frameworks for public participation in governance processes. This emphasis for citizen participation underscores the fact that the election of representatives does not negate the need for people to continuously be involved in governance processes. The status of public participation and information dissemination frameworks are being reviewed in this publication by IEA-Kenya. The information dissemination frameworks in four counties namely: Isiolo, Kisumu, Makueni and Turkana were reviewed. The study further examines the constitutional and legislative provisions on public participation, frameworks put in place by respective county governments that facilitate participation in governance, citizen and civil society involvement in county governance and information dissemination frameworks put in place by the four counties. Lessons drawn from the four counties and the policy recommendations will provide valuable information to county governments on ways of enhancing information dissemination and public participation in governance processes.