By Nelson Musungu, Bungoma
The civil society groups have raised the alarm over what they describe as deliberate exclusion of citizens from county budget-making processes warning that the practice undermines transparency and accountability of devolution.
Speaking to the press on Tuesday, Sylvanus Kasiti of the Civil Society Reference Group (CSRG) argues that the failure to involve residents comprehensively in budget formulation is a major barrier to accountability and effective service delivery within all devolved units.
Further Kasiti affirms that citizens’ full participation in public budgeting is not only a constitutional right but also a safeguard for transparency and effective allocation of resources.
“The failure to involve residents comprehensively in budget formulation remains a stumbling block in achieving accountability of services within county governments,” he said.
The concerns emerged during a stakeholders’ meeting that brought together civil society organizations from ten counties to deliberate on governance and citizen participation.
Kasiti also warns that civil society groups are prepared to take legal action if the situation does not improve.
“We are ready to move to court to ensure that this process is conducted transparently. Public participation is not optional, it is mandatory under the Constitution,” he said.
Linus Ikochel, a human rights activist from Bungoma, questioned the integrity of the current system.
“The selection process for those who attend budget meetings should involve every segment of society. A county budget touches on the life of every Kenyan, so every voice matters,” Ikochel said.
He emphasized that narrowing participation to a few individuals undermines the principle of devolution, which was meant to bring services and decision-making closer to the people.
Faith Mwangi, an official from CSRG, said the organization is committed to sensitizing communities across the country on the importance of participating in budget-making.
“We have dedicated ourselves to visiting different parts of this nation to carry out civic education and awareness on this issue. The law must take its course to ensure fairness and openness in budget processes,” Mwangi said.
She stressed that civic education remains the backbone of accountability and urged county governments to stop treating public participation as a mere formality.
The issue of public participation in budget processes has been contentious since the onset of devolution in 2013.
