Public Participation in the Policy Making Process: An Evaluation of Makueni County, Kenya
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Date
2021
Authors
M’mbone, Nyong’a Eunice
Gachanja, Paul M.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
IJCAB Publishing Group
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to evaluate public participation in the policy making process in
Makueni County. This was so because, despite the Makueni County Government generally
accepted framework for public participation, there is limited information on how that framework
has impacted or been used in the policy making process. Specifically, the study sought to assess
the extent of awareness by the residents of Makueni of their democratic right and opportunities to
participate in the policy making process; analyzed the levels of citizens involvement in policy
making processes in Makueni County; established the perception towards public participation in
policy making process by residents and management in Makueni County; and determined the
barriers to public participation in policy making process by residents and management in Makueni
County. The study was anchored on Stakeholder Theory, Arnstein’s Ladder and the Multi Streams
Model. The study was hinged on descriptive survey research design and targeted the 884,527
residents of Makueni and the 217 County Public service Departmental staff in Makueni County.
Stratified sampling was used to delineate 117 staff in terms of their positions, whether management
or operations excluding the subordinate staff. Simple random sampling was used to get 396
residents. Focus Group Discussions and questionnaires were the primary data collection
instruments. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics in form of percentages
and frequencies. Linear regression model analysis was also used to analyze data. The results
established that the residents were unaware of their democratic right and opportunities for
participation in policy making process in Makueni County. There were also low levels of citizens’
involvement in policy making processes in Makueni County. Further, perception about public
participation by residents was both negative for those who felt let down by the county management
and positive for those who mainly felt hopeful that despite those challenges, things improve for the
better in terms of public participation in policy making process in Makueni County. Additionally,
financial, physical resource, human resource and technological barriers were identified as having
considerable negative impact on citizen participation in policy making process. The study thus
recommends that Makueni County management should embark on renewed promotional strategies
to create awareness among citizens of their democratic right and opportunities for participation
in policy making process in Makueni County. Further, the citizens themselves should be proactive
and employ necessary mechanisms of obtaining information from the county government and
demand participation. The Makueni County management should on the other hand, formulate a
framework that stipulates the measures to be applied towards fully involving the citizens. The
Makueni County management should also be more transparent and accountable in order to help
build a positive perception about public participation amongst the residents. Moreover, the
Makueni County management should engage in robust resource mobilization of finances, physical,
human and technological resources that advance public participation in policy making process.
On a policy level, the County Assembly should amend existing public participation legislation to
make it more responsive to the needs of citizens. The executive should on their part robustly
implement public participation processes going forward.
Description
An Article Published in International Journal of Current Aspects
Keywords
Public Participation, Policy Making Process, Makueni County, Citizens Involvement in Policy Making Processes, Barriers to Public Participation in Policy Making Process
Citation
Nyong’a, E., & Gachanja, P. (2021). Public Participation in the Policy Making Process: An Evaluation of Makueni County, Kenya. International Journal of Current Aspects, 5(2), 36- 49. https://doi.org/10.35942/ijcab.v5i2.169