County Budgets 2013 - 2014

You can access the county budgets 2013/14 from this link: http://internationalbudget.org/county-budgets-2/

Reports on “Analysis of Civic Space in East African Countries”

EACSOF entered into partnership with Service Centre for Development Cooperation(KEPA) to analyze the enabling factors and constraints regarding CSO existence and operations in East Africa, with a view to improving the legal and political environment in the region. Read more

The Battering of the Constitution- Yash Pal Ghai

The constitution

Uhuru Kenyatta inaugurated his presidency, just over a year ago, by the following declaration, “Achieving peace and strengthening unity will be the goal of my government. This work begins now”. These objectives, he said, “will be confirmed when the rights of all citizens are protected through legislation that upholds the spirit of our constitution...When all communities in Kenya are confident that they have a Government that listens to and addresses their needs”.  He welcomed “all Kenyans to hold us accountable”. Here is an ordinary Kenyan reminding him of his pledges and trying to hold him accountable  for more information click on the link here to download 

CRECO CIVIL SOCIETY OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2013

CRECO is a member organization of the Kenya Civil Society Competence and Sustainability Program (KCSCSP) “Viwango” and as a consortium seeking to strengthen civil society organizations through providing leadership in excellence and self regulation, CRECO sought to recognize the important role civil society organizations play in the democratization process in Kenya.

In pursuit of its mandate to support and promote its members and in furtherance of the ideals of the National Civil Society Congress as an implementing partner, CRECO Conceived the Civil Society of the Year Awards (CSOYA) as a mechanism to gauge status of its members and inspire their desire for growth and change. CSOYA serves to ensure that organization get the much deserved appreciation for what they are doing. The Award therefore seeks to bring to light the work and strength of CSOs by recognizing and awarding them. The award falls under CRECO’s thematic area of Institutional Building.

The CSOYA Awards have now run for seven years consecutively awarding civil society organizations and community based organizations in the Democracy and Governance Sector for their exemplary work and to encourage them to seek self regulation towards achievement of their objectives. The first two rounds of the awards provided lessons that helped improve the 2009 process. Given the nascent nature of the programme, it experiences structural challenges which nevertheless, were sources of learning on how to improve subsequent award activities.

Below is the list of winners for the Civil Society of the Year Awards 2013.

Civil Society of the Year Award 2013

• Overall Winner 2013

Legal Resources Foundation (LRF)

Civil Society of the Year Award 2013

• 1^st Runners Up

Independent Medico Legal Unit (IMLU)

Civil Society of the Year Award 2013

• 2^nd Runners Up

Centre for Rights Education & Awareness (CREAW)

Civil Society of the Year Award 2013

• 3^rd Runners and Best Performing Small CSO

Centre for Enhancing Democracy & Good Governance (CEDGG)

Civil Society of the Year Award 2013

• Winner Leadership, Governance & Management Category

Legal Resources Foundation (LRF)

Civil Society of the Year Award 2013

• 1^st Runners Up, Leadership, Governance & Management Category

Independent Medico Legal Unit (IMLU)

Civil Society of the Year Award 2013

• Winner, Financial Management & Stewardship Category

Independent Medico Legal Unit (IMLU)

 Civil Society of the Year Award 2013

• 1^st Runners Up, Financial Management & Stewardship Category

Centre for Rights Education & Awareness (CREAW)

Civil Society of the Year Award 2013

• Winner, Human Resource & Talent Management Category

Legal Resources Foundation (LRF)

Civil Society of the Year Award 2013

• 1^st Runners Up, Human Resource & Talent Management Category

Independent Medico Legal Unit (IMLU)

Civil Society of the Year Award 2013

• Jury Award for People & Culture

Centre for Enhancing Democracy & Good Governance (CEDGG)

Civil Society of the Year Award 2013

• Special Jury Award for Community Engagement

Moi’s Bridge Community Welfare Society (MOCOWESO)

Civil Society of the Year Award 2013

• Jury Award for Most Promising New Entrant

Rural Agency for Community Development & Assistance (RACIDA)

Upload the CSOYA 2012 Report here 
Kivutha Kibwana's Speech

COUNCIL OF GOVERNORS 1^ST ANNUAL DEVOLUTION CONFERENCE,

1^ST -5^TH APRIL 2014, KWALE COUNTY

CONCEPT NOTE ON COUNTY AND CLUSTER TOWN HALL MEETINGS

THEME: One Year into Devolution: Celebrating the Milestones, Confronting the Challenges

SECTOR WORKING GROUP TOWN HALL MEETINGS

Introduction

As a build up to the devolution conference, the Council of Governors (COG) proposes to have a series of regional town hall meetings across the country to stimulate the conversation around Devolution. This presents an opportunity for ‘Wanjiku’ to give their view on what devolution means to them, the impact that it has had on their lives to date and the opportunities that the counties have, to make service delivery more efficient and relevant. The debate is designed to restore the hope and expectations that Kenyans had in devolution as they voted in the Constitution of Kenya 2010.

Participants: Governors, Senators, Members of the County Assembly, County Executive Committee members, members of the public, Civil Society Organizations, Private Sector, Faith Based Organizations and others

Objective

1.      To share experiences, challenges and expectations by both the county governments and citizens on devolution to inform effective service delivery

2.      Promote public participation by having conversations around the devolved functions; and what the role of the county government vis-à-vis central government.

3.      To collate data that will inform policy deliberations during the Devolution Conference

For more information click on the following link:

The Objects of Devolution

CONSTITUTION OF KENYA

174. The objects of the devolution of government are—
(a) to promote democratic and accountable exercise of power;
(b) to foster national unity by recognising diversity;
(c) to give powers of self-governance to the people and enhance the participation of the people in the exercise of the powers of the State and in making decisions affecting them;
(d) to recognise the right of communities to manage their own affairs and to further their development;
(e) to protect and promote the interests and rights of minorities and marginalised communities
(f) to promote social and economic development and the provision of proximate, easily accessible services throughout Kenya;
(g) to ensure equitable sharing of national and local resources throughout Kenya;
(h) to facilitate the decentralisation of State organs, their functions and services, from the capital of Kenya; and,
(i)to enhance checks and balances and the separation of powers.

Courtesy of Tom Kagwe
https://www.facebook.com/tom.kagwe?fref=ts

Beneath the bodies in Tana Delta

Sometimes the past is a good reference of what will happen in the future. What has happened and is happening now in Tana River delta and it's wet lands is a pointer to what may happen in future about land issues in this country. It is a policy failure! Alienating local communities from decision making regarding resources be it land, water, minerals etc.  will ultimately have dire consequences at the local level and nationally even internationally. The Ormas and Pokomo have coexisted for many years with no major problems. They are brothers and sisters each undertaking different economic activity.  But lo and behold when resources grabbing starts, all hell breaks loose. The area becomes a slaughterhouse for human beings. Brothers and sisters can no longer give each other a cup of tea leave a lone a glass of water.

The reason for the current security quagmire in the area is very well explained in the first paragraph of the paper's conclusion section 6. The Minister of Internal Security and his Security team should refer to this paper (and many others) to enable the team craft long lasting security measures that will help sort out this very grave situation. What is happening is a symptom, what is the trigger? This is a resource curse likely to degenerate to the levels of DRC perennial internal fights in the future. It is likely to spread to the whole country. God forbade what will happen when we start exploiting oil commercially where the 'big' money is. It is obvious the local communities did not invent the fights but the fights were taken to them.

To what extent does the New Constitution address the land issues and how practical is it considering what is currently happening with other sections of the Constitution? The beneficiaries of the land allocation should also be involved in providing solutions to the crisis. Or should we sacrifice our nation at the altar of capitalism? Why are the presidential aspirants not telling us about the specific steps they will take to ensure the security of this country both internal and external is maintained. Saying they will address security issues is empty rhetoric, mere side-road politics- we need specifics.  Security of our people is not politics it is about the life of every Kenyan and the very survival of this great nation. The future of this great country is in our hands as Kenyans. God bless our country.

Courtesy Katiba Forum - Jukwaa la katiba