KENYAKENYA CORRESPONDENTSCORRESPONDENTS ASSOCIATIONASSOCIATION Enhancing Issue-based Journalism

MONTHLY E-NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 2013 ISSUE No. 001 DEVOLUTION EDITION Kidero signs MoU with German Firm Over Waste Management By KCA Writer HE waste management nightmare that has bedeviled for a long time may soon be history followingT the recent signing of a Ksh. 28 billion waste management project be- tween led by Governor and a German company.. The project promises a cleaner and safer environment for Nairobi residents. Solid waste management has been a big problem in many parts of and Nairobi County is one the most affected areas with its ever growing population. Poor management of garbage dis- posal in the Central Business District and residential areashas impacted nega- tively on the city’s growth and general environmental wellbeing. On September 27, 2013, Dr. Evans Kidero, the Governor of Nairobi County signed a waste collection and energy generation partnership agreement with The Governor of Nairobi County Dr. Evans Kidero signs a waste two German companies, ISO Inter- collection and energy generation partnership agreement with national Development & Consulting two German companies, ISO International Development & Con- GmbH and Sustainable Energy Manage- sulting GmbH and Sustainable Energy Management UG (SEM). Turn to Page 2 By KCA Writer KCA launches drive to improve KENYA Correspondents As- sociation (KCA) has launched an aggressive initiative to build journalists’ skills on devolution the capacity of journalists on ef- decisions. “We seek to empower jour- fective reporting on devolved It also seeks empower journal- nalists who generate stories on governments. ists who generate stories on a daily a daily basis to acquire a deeper The initiative which began basis to acquire a deeper under- understanding of the devolved in the Coast Region in June has standing of the devolved govern- governance structures and to now spread to Nairobi County ance structure. help the journalists to report as part of the pilot phase be- “Through this Media and from a point of knowledge to fore it spreads to the rest of the Devolution Project which was first enhance greater citizens’ par- counties in Kenya. launched in the Coast last June, ticipation,” said Mercy Odada, The pilot phase in both KCA seeks to empower journalists a KCA Project Officer. Coast and Nairobi, each run- to report robustly on devolution by The project has already ning for four months, is sup- asking the right questions on be- gone through a number of ported by United States Agency half of the public and holding the key steps which included a for International Development county governments to account stakeholders planning meet- (USAID) through the Kenya Mr. William Janak, Chairman, KCA for their decisions,” said William ing which brought together Transitional Initiative (KTI) Janak, the KCA Chairman. stakeholders from the Nairobi Program. empower journalists to report According to the KCA Project County Government, CSOs, He Nairobi project was robustly on devolution by asking Leader Mercy Odada , the Nai- and Government agencies launched in August and will the right questions on behalf of robi project was launched in Au- dealing with devolution. run up to the end of Novem- the public and holding the county gust and will run up to the end of ber 2013. The project seeks to governments to account for their November2013. Turn to Page 3 KENYA CORRESPONDENTS ASSOCIATION

Enhancing issue-based Journalism

Converting solid waste into energy is very important because Nairobi has a lot of waste.” Said Dr. Kidero Nairobi County The head of the German delegation, Country Director of the Ger- manChamber of Industry and Commerce, Ingo Badoreck on his part to Convert Waste said theSEM plant would emit very minimal carbon into the environ- ment thereby reducing the risk of pollution to the environment. The signingof the MOU paves way for the preparations of logistics like work to Energy permits, license, land, among other things are needed for the project to kick off. From Page 1 The factory will begin operations within 20-24 months after the sign- ment UG (SEM). ing of papers.Dr. Kidero noted that the Modular Plant by Sustainable Under the partnership and project, the county will manage solid EnergyManagement is designed to take daily input of approximately waste and also generate 70 Megawatts of electricity per hour. 1,000tons of wastes of all kinds generated by the Nairobi population. Sustainable Energy Management (SEM), a German company will The project will require 10 acres of land which the County Govern- turn all solid waste (organic and inorganic, recyclable and non-recycla- mentwill make available. . The project, if successful, will provide direct- ble) materials into energy consequently making the city clean. employment to 250 people and other auxiliary businesses thereby gen- “Households in Nairobi County generate an average of half a kilo- eratingincome for the local households and additional electricity tothe gram of waste daily which cumulates into tons of solid waste in a day. national grid and a cleaner environment. Governing Nairobi a Delicate Affair By Henry Owino HE Constitution of Kenya 2010 created two centers of powers un- der one unitary State. The National Government and the County TGovernments headed by the President and Governors respectively. The president is the head of State, Commander -in-Chief of the De- fense Forces at the national level while governors are the heads of their respective 47 counties. Both governments have their own cabinet min- isters who oversee various departments of government. The powers that used to be exercised by the central government for the last nearly five decades have now been devolved to the counties. Governors are the presidents of their counties, elected by voters in their counties. Governorsare supposed to be managers, although elected to the offices through political processes. The management of the relationship between the national and the county governments will present challenges for a long time to come giv- en the country’s history of a centralized system. Nairobi City County led by Dr Evans Kidero as the governor, presents one of the most complex county governments among the 47 devolved units. Nairobi is also the capital city of Kenya with 17 constituencies rep- resenting almost all the 42 ethnic groups in the country. Dr Kidero has a major responsibility in ensuring devolution becomes a reality consider- ing that he heads the county that hosts the national capital. He has a most delicate balancing act, having to work closely with the national government, which is led by the Jubilee Coalition while he was City Hall of Nairobi elected on the Opposition Cord ticket. He has also to work with the two young and restless county leaders from the Jubilee Coalition, Mike Mbuvi The County Assembly is responsible for making laws for the effective Sonko (Senator) and Rachel Shebesh (County Woman Representative). performance of the County Government and exercising oversight over the Add to this the 17 members of parliament (MPs) and 129 elected and county executive committee. They are also charged with receiving and nominated ward representatives from different political parties and com- approving plans and policies. The structure of the County Government is munities. The process of making Nairobi City County work has been a comprised of 10 sections headed by County Executive Committee. complex and delicate affair given the different and entrenched interests The Cabinet consist of the following: Finance and Economic Plan- inherited from the City Council. ning (Gregory Silvanus Mwakanongo), Lands, Housing and Physical A number of structures have so far been set up within the City County Planning (Tom Odongo), Trade, Industry, Cooperative Development Government. These include the County Assembly, the County Executive and Tourism (Anna Othoro), Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (Anne Committee and the County Public Service Board. Kama is), Public Service Management (Mercy Wambui Kamau), Public Nairobi County Assembly is made up 85 elected members and works, Roads and Transport (Erick Mokua Arita), Water, Energy, Forest- 43nominated members making a total of 129 members. This takes ry and Natural Resources (John Gakuo), Information, Communication into accountthe gender principle, pursuant to Article 197 of the Con- and E-Government (Mohammed Abdullahi), Education, Youth Affairs, stitution of Kenya, 2010. Hon Alex Ole Magelo is the Speaker while Culture and Social Services (John Kennedy Wanyama) and Health Serv- KennedyOkeyoNg’ondi is the deputy speaker of the Nairobi County As- ices( Dr Timothy Moki Kingondu). sembly. Turn to Page 3

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Enhancing issue-based Journalism Governing Nairobi a Delicate Affair From Page 2 The County Executive Committee is mandated to implement county KCA launches drive to improve legislation, implement within the county, national legislation to the ex- tent that the legislation so requires. It is also supposed to manage and co- journalists’ skills devolution ordinate the functions of the county administration and its departments. The committee prepares proposed legislations for consideration by From Page 1 the county assembly and provides the county assembly with full and There has also been an engagement forum with editors during which regular reports on matters relating to the county. the need for the media to allocate more space to devolution related sto- Section 57 of the County Public Service Board Act provides the func- ries was discussed. tions of this body which include: establishing and abolishing offices in A total number of 30 journalists have been trained under the Nai- the county public service; appointing persons to hold or act in the offices robi Project on how to understand and report on the budget process, of the county public service including in the Boards of cities and urban the county governance structures and roles and the County Assembly areas within the county and confirming appointments. proceedings. Section 57 has very elaborate provisions meant to guide the opera- In the Coast Region, another 30 journalists from different media tions of the County Service Board which also includes making recom- houses were trained on the same areas, making a total of 60 who have mendations to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission, on behalf now gone through the capacity building process. They have since the of the county government, on the remuneration, pensions and gratuities training been generating significant number of stories on devolved gov- for county public service employees. The members of Nairobi County ernments focusing on issues. Public Service Board are: Chairman: Architect Philip Kungu; Secretary: The stories have been published on diverse media platforms in the Edgar Jumba Imbamba while the members are Mrs. Josephine K. Gi- country, both print and electronic. A number have also been published chuhi; Maurice Mutinda Wambua and Chomba M.J Munyi. on KCA website and this e-newsletter which now provides an additional The Governor Dr Kidero has three advisors namely; Ngure Mwan- platform. KCA is in the processes of seeking additional support through iki (Economics), Gad Awuonda (Legal) and Festo Fadamula (Political) partners to train more journalists across the country on reporting on while George Wainaina is his Chief of Staff. devolved governments. Westgate saga tests Kidero’s grip on Nairobi By Daisy Onkoba

OUT of the 47 County Governors, some of them have been so invisible that few people even know their names. However, others have quickly become household names for a variety of reasons. Some of those who have been fairly visible, for the right or wrong rea- sons include Evans Kidero (Nairobi) (Machakos), Ali Has- san Joho (Mombasa), (Kisumu), Cyprian Awiti (Homa Bay), Kinuthia Mbugua (Nakuru) and George Kabogo (Kiambu). Nairobi Governor Kidero who was recently in the news over a brawl at the County Offices with the County Woman Representative Rachel Shebesh, strategically used the Westgate Shopping Mall attack by ter- rorists on September 21, 2013 to build an image of being one of the key leaders in the country. The governor joined the national leaders President Uhuru Kenyatta, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and a host of other leaders in rally- ing Kenyans to respond in unity following the terror attack. He was in the Westgate Mall buildings team that went to visit the injured at the various hospitals and was later featured prominently at a national solidarity press conference at State There was evidently some commendable coordination between the House. Kidero visited the scene of the attack and could be seen along- national and the city governments that made business, including traffic to side the Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Ole Lenku and senior security continue moving as well as the various health facilities managed by the chiefs at press conferences, condemning the attack and calling for calm. City Governments, which offered services to the victims. As the City Governor, Kidero not only led the city residents in donat- However, the Nairobi economy has evidently suffered because a ing blood but quickly provided an additional space at City Hall Annex number of supermarkets closed for some days and many people now fear for more blood donors when the Kencom Stage blood donation center shopping for long hours at the major malls. became congested. The governor made a symbolic statement by visiting Nakumatt Ukay The city government mobilized its staff, including its security officers, next to the scene of the terror attack, and doing shopping with his wife to help the city run during the crisis which could have otherwise led to a Susan Mboya as part of confidence building that security had improved in shut down. Certainly more is required of the City Government but that the city. Nairobi is the biggest cosmopolitan city in East and Central Af- it came out to be part of the national response process at the time of the rica, hosting different people from different walks of life and international tragedy has earned the governor and his team some mileage. organizations and embassies of different countries. KCA 3 KENYA CORRESPONDENTS ASSOCIATION

Enhancing issue-based Journalism European Union donates Shs.3.7 billion to support Civic Education on Devolution By Henry Owino UROPEAN Union (EU) has donated Ksh 3.75 billion to support the Kenya government in its effort to provide civic education on devolution. The money is expected to be used overE the next five years that devolution process is expected to have picked up in most counties. Marjaana Sall, the deputy EU Ambassador to Kenya, the Euro- pean Union believes in good governance as an essential require- ment for sustainable development. She said devolution was key to country’s development and would ensure equitable resource allocation to all regions including to the marginalised counties. Sall emphasize that devolution would only work well if there was political stability; property rights and individual freedom were respected upheld. She emphasized that strong institutions Deputy EU Ambassador, Marjaana Sall (left), Hassan Noor and of justice, political accountability and proper representation of Prof. Karega Mutahi at the launch. people are backbone of any system of devolution. “European Union has been a key partner in Kenya’s journey Waithaka emphasized that public participation was impor- to constitutional reform, led by Kenyans themselves. We sup- tant in getting the devolution system work. He said an informed port the implementation of the government’s constitutional public would help hold leaders accountable. reform agenda as part of a wider programme led by Kenyan He said the civic education booklet provided key thematic Government to build and improve governance in the country,” areas which included: Land and Resources, Bill of Rights and Sall stated. Representation. He disclosed that five people had been identi- The Deputy Ambassador reiterated that rigorous planning, fied and trained per county who were in the process of training implementation and accountability will be critical to the suc- others for the purpose of rolling out civic education. cessful operation of the county governments. She cautioned that “This programme targeted 1,600 Senior Heads of Depart- there is much work for county administrators to take up and be ment from the National Government with devolved roles and dedicated in their new responsibilities. all Senior Officers from the County Government from the 47 She emphasized that it would take a little bit longer for the counties for it to be successful,” Waithaka disclosed. county administrators to cope up with pressure from citizens Prof Karega Mutahi said Kenya as a nation entered the devo- adding that patience was important. She pointed out that expe- lution process with a big bang approach. This was for devolution riences from other countries which had embraced devolution to work immediately after the last general elections and ignor- indicated that it took time and the process was a continuous ing transitional period. This meant an all-round implementation struggle which had room for improvement at every stage. without exception. “The civic education guidebook on devolution is a useful re- Prof Mutahi regreted that the approach has since then cre- source tool that will help citizens of Kenya understand andrelate ated an urgent need for technical support to all actors, which is a to devolution processes and its implementation in variouscoun- major challenge. He clarified that no one can give support to all ties,” She said. actors in devolution at the same time yet all implementers need She said the booklet would be useful to the peopleat the grass- knowledge (civic education), expertise and confidence building roots adding that it will assist in dissemination of informationa- at the same time. bout county structures, devolution programs in countygovern- “In my view the main challenge before us, is the ignorance of ments and functions of National and County Governments. devolution and in particular the inter-linkages between the vari- According to John Waithaka, Principal Economist, Minis- ous actors. An efficient Executive Committee needs an equally try of Devolution and Planning, Directorate of Devolution, the efficient County Assembly and County Public Service Board. If progress of civic education programmes in the counties is un- one does not function effectively it will lead to an ineffective derway. county government and yet they are busy trying to find their He said implementation of the whole process as stipulated niches at the same time,” Prof Mutahi cautioned. in the Constitution was key to realization of devolved govern- He suggested that what needs to be done is to help the actors ment. Turn to Page 5 4 KCA KENYA CORRESPONDENTS ASSOCIATION

Enhancing issue-based Journalism EU donates Shs.3.7bn to support Civic Education on Devolution From Page 4 right processing requires patience,” Prof Mutahi elaborated. Prof Karega Mutahi said Kenya had kicked off the devolution move forward efficiently and confidently. The professor empha- implementation process with a lot of energy adding that there sized that imparting knowledge and skills on the specific roles of was high public expectation which required management. each institution to be paramount. “We all recall that the former President Mwai Kibaki was Prof Mutahi said for devolution to work, Kenyan needed to sued at least twice for taking action outside the due process. pay special attention to the interdependence of the National and This means that citizens are becoming proactive with issues on county governments so that none of the two level oversteps the authorities hence the need to develop different types of training mandate of the other. modules for different groups,” he reminded citizens. The importance of citizens’ participation was emphasized He suggested the next step for actors is work with county with speakers at the launch saying this should be institution- governments to identify the urgently needed skills for service alized. Equally important, it was pointed out, was the issue of delivery. In this process, each category of actors will need spe- public communication. cific skills like CPBs need recruitment capacities that produce Prof Mutai said understanding the county government struc- quality staff. In addition all actors need to appreciate the risks tures and their relationships would bethe most critical challenge. and how to mitigate against them. He however stated Kenyans todayknow that doing things right Given the high expectation and the growing anxiety among was much more challenging thanknowing the structures. the Kenyans, Mutahi said it would be prudent to move fast to “For instance, Kenyans know that they need quality staff in ensure quality service delivery (civic education) at community order to produce acceptable work. On the other hand, the prepa- level. This is the only way to avoid the use of devolution issues ration of the Budgets or the Integrated Plans and ensuring the for political relevance. Nyeri experiences population, real estate boom By Joseph Wambugu AS the population rate of Nyeri town soars, the cost of rent, plots and building materials continues to increase which might scare investors away. The increase in higher education institutions and rising popu- lation in the town for the last four years has led to rising housing demand for all classes of people, the poor and the rich, giving an immediate challenge to the County Government to deal with. Nyeri has experienced major growth in the last three years Coffee plots in Nyeri are being converted into residential estates. with new buildings and estates springing up with new investors taking advantage of the new population growth. plots and even building materials have doubled around the town Many coffee plots are being converted into residential estates. and its outskirts. The establishment of Dedan Kimathi University of Technology The high population of the over 10,000 students joining local has also led to many hostels and estates springing up. universities per year has led to investors starting to build residen- Dedan Kimathi University College and Technology was tial houses and hostels. awarded charter last year by the former President Kibaki. There ‘Six years ago, there were no investors around Kimathi Uni- are many of the colleges coming up in the town. versity and so I took the opportunity to build the hostels. Today, Other universities in the town include Kenya Methodists over 175 students can have accommodation in my hostels. The University campus, Karatina University and hostels are just very near to the lecture halls,” he says. among others that offer both the undergraduate and postgradu- Mureithi who has been in the real estate businesses for over ate study opportunities. 20 years has continued to invest and is almost finishing other Other commercial colleges have also cropped up in the town hostels adjacent to the Sunrise Hotels which will accommodate leading to skyrocketing prices for plots and rents. The number 300 more students. of students in these institutions has increased the population of The rents are friendly and ranges from Sh 3,500 to Sh 14,000 Nyeri significantly. depending on the class one needs. Ndegwa Mureithi who is the proprietor of Sunrise Hostels “The hostels have security officers from a recognized com- near Dedan Kimathi University notes that the prices of rents, Turn to Page 6 KCA 5 KENYA CORRESPONDENTS ASSOCIATION

Enhancing issue-based Journalism Nyeri experiences real estate boom From Page 5 A modern two bed-roomed house which was being rented at a cost of around Sh 5,000 per month three years ago, is now pany, DSTV, internet, power and hot water. We use solar powers about Sh 12,000 per month. He adds that because Nyeri has no unlike other neighboring hostels that use electricity,” he notes. major industries or other major service providing operations, He says the students can study in their modern rooms up to there is a high rate of employment. late at night since there is enough security. “The major problem that faces Nyeri town is the problem of “One needs to target one goal and achieve it. In this case my a lack of industries which has been a major hindrance. The only goal was to invest in housing. Those who fear costs will never industry is the Mt Kenya Bottlers Company of Coca Cola Com- get their returns. Here in the housing sector, the returns are very pany. There are no garment or textile industries even though the good,” he advises. area has the raw materials for such an industry,” adds Kimita. The hostels have since created jobs for over five permanent The town is hit by lack of land for expansion since most of the workers who are involved in the day to day management. lands surrounding the town belong to small scale famers who Munga Kimita of Mwalimu Estate Agent points out that in inherited them from their families and some of them have been the outskirts of Nyeri town, an area like Skuta which is along Ny- split into very small pieces which are uneconomical to investors. eri- Nyahururu highway where a quarter an acre was Sh 250,000 The lack of adequate land for expansion has therefore slowed three years ago is today sold at an average of Sh 4 million. down the pace of development of commercial and residential A quarter acre of land around Kimathi University along Nyeri houses. – Nyahururu highway which was going at a price of Sh 0.5 mil- “My tenants are mainly university lecturers, bankers and other lion three years ago is today selling at more than Sh 3 million. An professionals in town. Increase in the university and college staff eighth acre which was going for Shs 250,000 three years ago now has improved our incomes as we were able to raise the rent as goes at a cost of Sh 2 million. demand soars’, notes an investor who has built a hostel in town. Education Cabinet Secretary urges support for lap top project in schools By KCA Writer (EFA) goals were achieved despite the challenges including civil conflicts and TAKEHOLDERS in the education the recovery and reconstruction proc- sector have been urged to help the esses in some countries in Eastern Af- government in rolling out the lap- rica. topS projects in schools. A lecturer at the Kigali Institute of Education Cabinet Prof Jacob Kai- Education (KIE) who is also the Co- menyi who spoke at a conference or- ordinator, Rwanda Education for All ganized by Elimu Yetu Coalition (EYC) Coalition (REFAC) Mugabe Leon made at Kenya Institute Curriculum Devel- a presentation which focused on the opment in September, urged members experience of Rwandan on the imple- of the Civil Society drawn from across mentation of the One Laptop Per Child the country to support the lap top project Process. project. He pointed out that OLPC Founda- The Ministry was concerned that tion aims to provide laptops to millions despite education being made compul- of children throughout the developing sory, some parents and guardians had world in order to improve their educa- still failed to take children to school. tion and their quality of life and urged He urged the education stakeholders the civil society members to take lead gathered to help sensitize parent on the in spearheading the laptop project in need to take their children. Kenya. Elimu Yetu Coalition National Co- Alebachew Mekonnen BEN from ordinator Janet Muthoni Ouko said Ethiopia also made a presentation on EYC is ready to support the Ministry Prof Jacob Kaimenyi, Education Cabinet Secretary. the Information and Communication in improving education in Kenya and Technology in Education in his country. would also support the government in its efforts to roll out pro- The conference was also addressed by the MP for Kibra Hon. Ken grams that will improve the quality of education. Okoth and his Ugenya counterpart Hon. David Ochieng. Ouko said that EYC will support the government in the im- EYC Chairperson Daniel Wesonga encouraged the civil soci- plementation of the ICT program in schools and ensure the chil- ety organizations and other stakeholders in the education sector dren became digitally competitive. to play a major role in ensuring the utilization of Information During the conference, the UNESCO official Vic Ikobwa chal- Communication Technology in helping equal access to educa- lenged the participants to ensure that the six Education For All tion opportunities for all Kenyans.

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amendments to it. Governors and The devolution implementation process has since the elections run from one controversy to another with the row between the senators and governors being just one of the latest cases. The Nandi Senator Stephen Senators wrangle Sang has defended move to introduce the Bill saying the envisaged board will help in consultation, coordination and harmonization of the overall county development implementation framework. over County While it is clear there is no mechanism for the other elected county leaders including the senators, Women Representatives and the MPs to work together at the devolved unit level, the question is how to go about Coordination body creating that framework without causing friction at a time when the governors have been on the war path creating and defending their tuff. By Daisy Onkoba But the reality is that at the county level, some structure must be cre- ated for coordination between the elected leaders and the county govern- THE move by senators to introduce a Bill in the Senate to create a County ment if conflicts are to be avoided and for better coordination of devel- Development Board has created a new ground of discomfort for gover- opment. However the two sides, realizing what danger their altercation nors who have since the inauguration of the County Governments fol- could bring to the devolution debate have recently moved quickly to lowing the General Elections on March 4, 2013 been on a war path. consult to nip the controversy in the bud. The governors and senators The Bill seeks to create a County Development Board to be composed recently held a consultative meeting at which they agree to re-look at the of the Senators, County Women Representatives, elected MPs in their Bill to smooth out any offending clauses. respective counties, the county speakers, among other key figures in the Busia Senator and former Attorney General Amos Wako announced county government. What appears to have irked the governors is their at the end of their meeting that they had reached a truce by agreeing to proposed roles as secretaries to the boards which appear to relegate them consult over the Bill before it is debated and passed. to junior positions when they are the county executives. Many experts on devolution have pointed out that the governors can- The outspoken Chairman of the Council of Governors not be allowed absolute control and reign in the counties as there are has condemned the move, likening it to attempting to run the devolved other equally important players including the senators, county women governments like the MPs have been running the Constituency Develop- representative and MPs, all of who should have a role to play. The mecha- ment Fund (CDF) projects. Ruto said they will either lobby to ensure nism of involvement, the experts say, is what must be negotiated within the Bill is not table in the Senate or that they will seek to make major the spirit of the constitution and any laws that may be legislated. Rongai Residents call for improved security By Ann Kariuki

HE approach of darkness brings fear to residents of Ongata Rongai town in the outskirts of Nairobi. There have been increased cases of robberies and theft in the town.T Among the latest victims is Alice, an M-Pesa agent at Maasai Lodge who was robbed recently by people who pre- tended to be customers. Everything was normal that day at her shop. But at 7.00pm two men came to the shop pretending to be customers about to withdraw money, and one of them threatened her with a gun if she tried to scream, she had to give her whole day’s col- lections for her safety. “I think they take advantage because the nearest police station is 2km away and by the time you call the police they are already gone’ she said. Rongai residents have complained over the increasing cases of insecurity in town with two people being shot at their gates. Tony Kago, a former Nation Media journalist, was shot on Sunday night at his gate in his Rongai home by armed gang who had waited for him; he died on his way to hos- Insecurity: Police officers and members of the public at a murder scene. pital. Residents are now asking the government to put in place more secu- had on them. rity measures to protect them and their property. Rongai Police Boss, Francis Sang, confirmed this and said they had Students from the nearby Multimedia University some of who live in arrested 3 of the robbers who were now being held in custody. A middle the town, have for a long time complained of being attacked when they aged man in Olerai was attacked in the morning as he left for work. On are going to their houses or back to the hostel from social evenings in the the same day, later in the night, Linus Kaikai, a senior journalist with town. But the police have always dismissed these allegations claiming Nation Media was carjacked by a five man gang armed with rifles as he the students make empty claims when they are drunk. entered his home in Nalepo area. But for Kevin Njue, a student who resides in Rongai, he was not At least for him, the police rescued him after he was abandoned but drunk when on a Saturday morning, he and his friends were attacked he lost his phone and some money. The police say security has been by 10 people who robbed them of all their cell phones and the cash they beefed up but the residents remain apprehensive of their security.

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audited 36 CDF projects. Throughout the project, the communi- OPINION ties worked closely with the area MP, the Constituency Develop- ment Fund Committee and Project Management Committees to conduct social audits and act on the findings. The community and Public Participation: CDF officials developed mutual understanding as they candidly shared their respective challenges and welcomed practical solu- More action, not Rhetoric tions. Similar projects have taken place in other parts of Kenya. Despite these efforts, a lot of work still needs to be done before By Faith Kisinga Gitonga public participation becomes entrenched as a common practice in devolved governance and begins to have the desired transforma- HE recent revelation by the Office of Controller of Budget, tive effect. While laws are replete with the principles and broad that more than half of the 47 counties did not spend any mon- framework for public participation, there is no locus for the com- ey on development between March and June, was disturbing. plete range of information which can help CSOs and government AmidstT the calls by governors for more funds, there are lingering actors at different levels, who are interested in promoting public questions about the way in which these monies will be spent. So far participation, learn how to go about it. though, little attention has been given to the role of the citizen, in Both CSOs and government actors alike need their capacities making devolution work. Yet, public participation will be key in de- strengthened in order to play their respective roles in enhancing termining the extent to which devolution succeeds. public participation. The public needs to appreciate the basics of The buzz words today are “public participation”. The Constitu- public participation including when and how to express their views, tion and all the laws on devolution make a strong point of empha- what they should do to enhance good governance and where they sizing participation by the people in county governments. There are can get relevant information to engage effectively. many references to the different ways in which citizens can partici- CSOs can help communities participate meaningfully through pate in the governance of their counties. However, the assumption coordinating CSO capacity building efforts; facilitating county lev- is that these actors will know how to go about public participation. el citizen exchange forums on public participation; documenting Unfortunately, the devolution of funding has not necessarily gone and publicizing best practices; and establishing a central hub of hand in hand with capacity building on public participation. information on public participation tools and practices, which is In the recent past, some non-state actors, particularly civil so- accessible to citizens and county officials interested in public par- ciety organisations (CSOs), have raised public awareness on laws ticipation. and regulations on devolved funds and processes. They have pro- Together, county governments and CSOs can explore creative vided communities with information on their roles in contributing ways to get public participation frameworks going. They should to enhanced good governance, and equipped them with skills, to also advance the cultivation of factors such as attitudes and ap- allow participation to happen. proaches, which will lead to meaningful participation. In Limuru constituency for example, communities from 9 lo- cations, with support from the National Council of Churches of Faith Kisinga Gitonga is a Consultant, CSOs Enabling Environ- Kenya (NCCK) and the Partnership for Transparency Fund (PTF), ment. Drama, Song and Dance mark Peace Forum at Nairobi’s Grounds By Koffian Olamba

SPORT, drama, song and dance marked the International Day of Peace held in September at Nairobi’s Huruma Grounds, also known as New Grounds. The celebrations brought out the best from the Nairobi residents in praise of Kenya and the need for peace and tolerance. Hundreds of residents, especially from Mathare, and attended the forum. The forum was organized by Peace Net Kenya, Kituo Cha She- ria and Cooperation Housing Foundation (CHF) to reinforce co- hesion and peaceful coexistence within the informal settlements which have been affected by political and ethnic manipulation for many years. Former Nairobi Mayor Mr. Joe Aketch said it was important for Kenyans to come together as one, work together and forget about ethnic groups, religion, gender and even political affilia- tions. He also urged residence of Huruma and other parts of Nai- political and ethnic violence during political conflicts. robi to maintain peace and encourage tolerance and to also sup- During the 2007-2008 Post Election Violence, the slums wit- port devolution saying it will bring the government and services nessed unprecedented violence, death and displacement of pop- closer to the citizens. The peace forum came barely six months ulations on a scale never witnessed before. after the March 4, 2013 General Elections which left Kenyans Efforts have been made over the past five years to restore deeply divided. The informal settlements often bear the brunt of peace and tolerance but a lot more still need to be done.

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Enhancing issue-based Journalism County Govts hold Beauty Contests to Promote Youth Talent, Tourism By Ann Kariuki GREAT new opportunity for youths in all counties has pre- sented itself this year in the form of beauty contests that are taking places in most of the counties. AUnlike in the previous years when it only took place in major towns and cities, this time around it is spread across the country, giving more people opportunities for participation. For Nairobi County there are many contests including the face of Miss Nairobi, 2013 Miss Fabulous Africa and Miss Tourism, most events having taken place in September and October. In Homa Bay County, it was all a different story as it marked his- tory by being the first to hold a beauty pageant to get the county’s ambassador. The contest held at Homa bay hotel where Joy Apuko was crowned as miss Homa Bay County was part of the celebration to mark the county’s cultural day. She was crowned by area women representative Gladys Wanga who after offering Joy a cheque for Ksh 25000, promised that her photo would be used on billboards to welcome visitors to Homa bay. She also assured that the event will be held every year. Miss Tourism Taita Taveta County Edition - a franchise of Miss Tourism Kenya, was created as a part of taking such activities to the grassroots in line with the aspirations of the devolved governance system in Kenya. Taita Taveta County used this as a platform to promote local activities and its unique treasures. The pageant theme was “Our Beauty, Our Pride, Our Heritage.” The contest was also used to highlight the plight of women and the girl child in the county. The competition for Miss Tourism Kenya targeted 2500 students and young professionals aged between 21 and 38 years old. The win- ner of Miss Tourism in every county will compete with other final- ists from other counties that participated on November 30th 2013 to choose the winner of Miss Tourism in Kenya. “The aim for Miss Tourism Kenya is to document and market our beautiful country through the beauty and talents of our young generations,” said Miss Tourism Kenya Director of Events and Pro- duction, Tony Chirah. The criteria for choosing the winner are on personality, presentation and intellect. Miss Tourism International 2012/2013

inconveniencing pedestrians. The traders left in the market also Trans Nzoia assures complain that they are now losing business to those who have moved out onto the streets. Mr. Wakoli revealed that plans were under way to relocate the Traders of Support traders from the streets but insisted it would be inhuman to eject By Allan Mungai them without having set up an elaborate place where they would resume their businesses. THE Trans Nzoia County Government has called for patience “We have just put the final touches to the finance bill and it is from the business community in Kitale town who have in recent ready for introduction in the county assembly for discussion. The times complained about an unfriendly business environment. bill contains among others harmonize various charges previously The County Revenue Officer Kennedy Wakoli said that the charged by the now defunct Kitale Municipal and Nzoia County government was in the process of implementing the recommen- Councils. “There are plans to build another market and to reno- dations agreed on during a meeting with the business commu- vate the existing one because it has become too congested. It is nity at West Side Hotel in Kitale. this that has led the traders to ask for trading spaces along the “Senior Officials of the County Government recently met with streets on positioning themselves strategically to get customers.” the stakeholders and agreed on the way forward and we are in said Wakoli. the process of implementing them,” said Wakoli in an interview. The Kitale County Market is facing a number of challenges Lack of enough space in the main Municipal Market has .Traders are complaining of the state of neglect that the market forced some of the traders to parade their wares by the roadside, has been left in. KCA 9 KENYA CORRESPONDENTS ASSOCIATION

Enhancing issue-based Journalism

Homa-Bay County Briefs Sh12 bn solar power plant project to boost Homa-Bay econ- omy Kisumu County: Homa-Bay county governor Cyprian Awiti has signed a 12.6B Shs 100m Scholarship fund for needy students set up contract with Canadian companies on solar power project which Kisumu County plan to set up a scholarship fund with an ini- is estimated to be completed within a year which will boost the tial allocation of Shs. 100 million to benefit bright, needy and national grid and generate revenue for the county. The project orphaned children in the area. The funds were set aside after is estimated to generate 50MW in a year. Nairobi County As- the County assembly rationalized allocations in other areas, re- sembly Representatives from across the country have boycotted ducing the allocations for the maintenance of motor vehicles, duties demanding salary increment. The salaries and Remunera- equipment, buildings, purchased house hold appliances as well as tion Commission Chairperson Ms. Sarah Serem has urged them purchase of computers and Information Technology equipment. to seek dialogue with her institution instead of constantly issu- Kisumu County Assembly said the scholarship fund will need ing threats. Serem and her team intend to Since the county gov- the necessary legislation to administer those funds as provided ernments came to being after the March 4 General Elections, a by the Public Finance Management Act. number of County Assembly Representatives have kept boycott- ing their work or threatening to do so. The boycotts and the Nyeri County: frequent tug of wars between the County Assembly Representa- MPs boycott County Forum over tiff with Governor tives and the Governors have disrupted the smooth running of the County Assemblies and appear responsible for the delays in The unease with which Members of Parliament and Governors enacting various laws. Budgets from many counties were late due relate was recently evident I Nyeri County where the MPs boy- to the boycotts. cotted the “ Nyeri We Want” forum organized by the Governor . The MPs are reported to instead have attend- Trans Nzoia ed to Constituency Development Fund related issues in which Food security fears as production declines they have a direct say. Governor Gachagua said the forum was organized for all leaders as well as members of the public to get Maize production in Trans Nzoia County has declined by 20% their input on how to improve on County Integrated Develop- due to high soil acidity and poor price. The chairman of Kenya ment Plans. This scenario has been reflected in many counties Agricultural Value Chain Enterprise Project Mr. Tom Nyagechaga across Kenya, a move that will undermine coordination of devel- has said there was urgent need for the county government to opment initiatives at the county levels. analyze the soil in order to establish its fertility. Trans Nzoia is a major food basket for the country and any effects on food pro- Isiolo County duction can have grave consequences for Kenya’s food security. Leaders Consult over Land, Border Security Murang’a County: Isiolo County Governments leaders recently held consultative Assembly plans trip to Uganda meeting to resolve disputes along its border with Meru County. The meeting, chaired by the Isiolo Governor Godana Doyo, was Members of Murang’a County Assembly plan a four day trip to attended by the County Speaker Mohamed Tobi and ten ex-leg- Uganda trip to Uganda to learn the process of coffee farming and islators. The meeting called for a stop of subdivision of land on marketing structure. The cost of the trip, discussed by the As- either sides of the boundary of the two counties. The land issue sembly in September was not immediately known and the value along the border has led to frequent conflicts resulting in the loss it would add to the county. What was clear is that the trip would of lives. Former Isiolo South MP Abdulahi Wako also urged the cost the County quite some money this financial year at a time residents to promote harmony among the communities along the County has barely established any structures. the border. Baringo County: Kisumu County Governors slaps ban on saw millers County to Promote pre-historic site to spur tourism Governor has imposed a ban on saw millers Kisumu County Government is set to give recognition to a from outside the county saying they were destroying the coun- pre-historic site in Seme area as part of its efforts to spur the ty’s natural resources. Increased logging has reportedly led to growth and earnings from tourism. The County Cabinet Secre- reduction of the volumes of water in the rivers and streams in tary for Commerce and Tourism Rose Omondi told residents of the county. This is a short term measure by one county. Perhaps the county during the World Tourism Day in Kisumu recently what is required is a comprehensive legal and policy framework the pre-historic Luo homes with Ohinga stone walls located in for managing forests and other related resources which in many Seme would be given the necessary recognition and promoted cases are trans- county and have national environmental impli- as a tourist site. Seme also hosts the famous Kit Mikayi, a scenic cations. The case of the Mau Water Tower is a clear example. Mau stone formation which is a associated with the first wife in the Complex has more than 12 rivers discharging water into Lake Luo cultural traditions and which has not only been a cultural Victoria, including the famous River Mara which runs through pilgrimage site but also increasingly a major tourist attraction in Tanzania and on which thousands of wild life depend. The impli- the area. The county government has opened a Tourist Resource cations of mismanaging the Mau Complex have begun to be felt Information Centre and launched a weekly program to promote and it will be useful for the counties that share it and for others tourism in the region. which have shared resources to discuss and develop a sustainable framework for utilization.

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Enhancing issue-based Journalism By KCA Writer Dishonesty among OCIAL fragmentation, erroneous prioritization of resources by governors and corruption are the main inhibitors to devo- lution hence county development. Leaders Hampers SThese are observations in a recent survey on Kenyans percep- tion on devolution which makes conclusions that should inspire more action to help the devolved system roll out successfully. Devolution Ethnicity and insecurity were observed as setbacks to devolu- tion processes in most counties. Self-interest among political leaders especially in the two major Implementation political parties’ coalitions in Kenya; Jubilee and Cord are also to blame for controversies surrounding the devolution implementa- tion process. Many counties are still stuck in the politics of the last general elections. There rivalries and election petitions involving different leaders at different levels: governors, senators, MPs and even ward representatives and the politics of the two dominant coalitions are slowing devolution process. Lack of information or awareness amongst citizens concern- ing devolution has led to non-participation in the county decision making processes. The findings are in a recent study conducted by Jesuit Hakimani Centreled by Dr Elias Mokua, the Principal Researcher, and Director. More than 2,500 people were interviewed from 30 targeted counties with representation of the study objectives. The research established that Kenyans associate devolution with economic development and improvement in living condi- tions. The research findings were launched at a major conference at the Hakimani College in Nairobi. The research further shows that Kenyans are optimistic that county governments will create employment opportunities. The improvement of infrastructure is also a key issue that many Ken- Dr Elias Mokua,(center) the Principal Researcher and Director of Jesuit Hakimani yans expect the county governments to focus on. Centre with head of Hekima College and participant during the launch The Principal Researcher urged the county governments pro- vide civic education to citizen within their counties. He suggested that In such counties, residents especially minority tribes would fear par- use of Chiefs’ barazas, churches and mosques and other gatherings could ticipating in county public forums actively. Yet citizens’ participation is be good platforms for civic education. important in all county projects developments. Dr Mokua emphasized the need for different players: leaders; gover- If not checked, this trend may lead to an unequal representation and nors, the clergy and civil society organizations to embark on educating unfair prioritization of county development projects. Governors there- Kenyans devolution. Access to information, he said was important to fore need to be proactive in managing the expectations of the people. enable citizens participate in the counties. “Most citizens do not under- “Political leaders should communicate a clear timeline on when the stand the functions of the governors, senators and women representa- economic benefits of devolution will become tangible because currently tives. This is because they are not able to distinguish between their roles. economic needs of the people are more urgent,” Dr Mukua pointed out. Dr Mokua said. In addition, the difference between National and County The study found that the culture of corruption amongst public office governments’ functions is even worse as citizens believe in centralized holders, both at county and national levels remains widespread concern. governance, adding there is lots of bureaucracy to access to information Devolution is not seen as the panacea for this problem. which is vital devolution process,” he added. Nonetheless, there is hope that devolved power and local account- The study says in counties with homogeneous ethnic population ability will improve to make devolution work well. or with one political party government like Murang’a, Nyeri, Kisumu, Majority of Kenyans think that the 15 percent budgetary allocation is Elgeyo Marakwet and Homa Bay, it may not be easy for citizen to hold insufficient for county development especially in the counties that were leaders accountable and transparency would be compromised. previously marginalized. Corruption a Threat to Devolution, TI Research By KCA Writer have lost faith in initially trusted institutions known for fighting corrup- tion like; media, civil society/NGOs, Executive, Parliament, Religions, and A RECENT research conducted by Transparency International (TI) on the public. devolution implementation warns that corruption could prove to be the The only institution that is still trusted to certain extend by Kenyans, is biggest was rated as the highest risk to devolution standing at 36 per cent the Judiciary scoring at 30 per cent of respondents interviewed. of the respondents. The confidence in the civil society and Ethics and Anti-corruption In this survey, a total of 1,766 Kenyans of majority age were inter- Commission (EACC) was notably high at 20 and 17 respectively. Only 0.3 viewed in 32 counties in eight regions. per cent trusted the public, 2 per cent the media, Parliament 8, Executive In fact citizens said it is the major drawback to devolution and many Turn to Page 12 KCA 11 KENYA CORRESPONDENTS ASSOCIATION

Enhancing issue-based Journalism Get Informed on Devolution, Journalists Urged By Abel Muhatia derstand the devolved government broadly. “The media should be an open platform for debate and play the OURNALISTS have been urged to get more involved and in- role of a watchdog on governance” Chrispine added. formed on issues pertaining devolution. Touching on the issue of public participation in governance and Speaking during a workshop organized by Kenya Corre- devolution Implementation, Governance expert, Risper Pete said spondentsJ Association (KCA) with the support of USAID under citizens had many opportunities for participation in shaping the the Kenya Transitional Initiative (KTI) at a Nakuru hotel recently, agenda of the counties including through ward development com- KCA Chairman William Janak said the public needed more infor- mittees. mation on devolved governments which the media had a duty to Other channels included community paralegal groups, com- provide. munity anti-corruption committees and vigilance committee. Janak said the media had a role to play in shaping up the de- Media expert Dan Orlale reminded journalist to report more bate on the implementation of the constitution including creating on matters pertaining devolution and not to forget that they are awareness on the devolved functions and those retained by the watchdogs of the public interest. National Government. During the workshop, Budget and plan- The journalists at the workshop were drawn from both print ning consultant Mr. Chrispine Oduor urged the media personnel and electronic media which included a number of radio stations to read both chapter 11 and 17 of the Kenyan constitution to un- broadcasting for various segments of the Nairobi population. Corruption a Threat to Devolution, TI Research From Page 11 10, religious institutions and groups 12 per cent. The TI poll survey was conducted between August 6 and August 25, 2013 and titled: Towards hazy horizons: An opinion poll on implementa- tion of devolution and governance reforms in Kenya. Data was collected using face to face interviews through semi structured questionnaires. According to Samuel Kimeu, Executive Director, Transparency In- ternational Kenya, the mandate of the EACC has been interfered with in several ways undermining its capacity to operate. For example, the institution has inadequate staff and resources to han- dle most of its tasks. Kimeu said most people interviewed believed that Samwel Kimeu, Executive Director Transparency International -Kenya devolution would only work if corruption is dealt with and the National launches the study on devolution government disburses funds to support counties. The study also found were good. 37 per cent of them viewed it as unrealistic as compared to out that there was lack of political will across the political parties to drive only 31 per cent respondents who thought county governments’ priori- the agenda of devolution. Again in this study, ignorance among citizens ties were unrealistic. Kimeu noted that citizens’ views on the national on devolution is very high since only 17 percent of Kenyans are aware of and county governments’ priorities could be a pointer to the govern- the amounts of money disbursed to their County Governments. ments to revisit campaign priorities. Of the 17 percent, less than half of the respondents - 44 percent - know This he said would help align them with what the people identify as where to get information on the funds disbursed to the Counties for both real and urgent needs through paying fidelity to the participatory planning recurrent and development expenditure. Insufficient funds and political process enshrined in law. “The public response to our poll is indicative of interference were also rated high with slightly more than 20 per cent of the the lack of peoples’ voice in the setting of development priorities in the respondents mentioning these. Notable among the identified threats are counties,” Kimeu said. Kimeu cautioned that if corruption goes unchecked, the perceived supremacy wars between the two levels of government. it will undermine the development aspirations of Kenyans at both levels “Note that in the study, respondents were mainly aged between 18-49 of government. He added that public opinion is still split on whether the with an almost equal split between 18-19 and 30-49 age brackets. Only 10 government is fully committed in supporting devolution or not. per cent of the sample was picked from Kenyans above 50 years. The two “One reason for perceived lack of support to devolution by National demographic groups were purposely sampled as a reflection of the national Government was delay in release of funds to County Governments. Dev- population,” Kimeu explained. The TI-Kenya Executive Director explained olution needs a lot of support from the National Government through its that the group is also likely to be more impacted by success or otherwise of various entities. It could be derived from various aspects like allowing for such critical issues like improved governance into the future. the right political environment, enough and timely financial allocations However, respondents believed priorities of national government and coordination’s of services,” he emphasized.

This Newsletter is published by the Kenya Correspondents Association, P.O. Box 7438-00200, NAIROBI, Kenya. Email: [email protected], [email protected] Website: www.kca.or.ke. The publication is supported by USAID through the Kenya Transition Initiative (KTI). However, the contents of the newsletter do not reflect the opinion of USAID /KTI or of the US Government.