2024 Award "Best Practice in Citizen Participation"

18th Edition

Phase 6 of 7

Publication Preparation 08/09/2024 - 15/10/2024

Process phases

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Lamu County Government: Innovative and Inclusive Public Participation

Official proposal

30/04/2024 15:52

The Lamu County innovative and inclusion Citizen participation model consisted of multidisciplinary strategies employed to involve the Public at their different situations in different localities of the County in the Republic of Kenya.

Lamu County being a Unesco World Heritage Site, the Government restricted the movements of vehicles in the town hence people were constructing houses just close to each other with no roads or bigger spaces left. This created pavements between the houses thus only donkeys and humans could walk through. The County had to employ a donkey rider method of public participation so that every house is accessed for citizen participation events and feedback collected successfully.

Lamu County has 65 islands surrounded by water from the Indian ocean, this geographical difference made the County administration use boats and access the community for physical Citizen Participation.

The practice included every category of people in the program namely: women who are given special dates and venue: this is because of cultural and religious belief that women prefer not to be mixed with men as they may be shy to speak their issues and hence failed to raise their voice. The Youth who are given a special day and venue for them to air their issues without fear or feeling uncomfortable when mixed with elders. The People living with disability(PWDs) are also given their special day and venue for them to be heard in a manner practical and preferred by themselves hence a seamless participation for all. The Old aged are also given their day to air their special issues. The marginalized, neglected, minority and vulnerable are also given their special schedule to share their inputs in their county development agenda.

Finally the Community living in warzoned areas are also incorporated in this program where the Citizen participation Director and the team travel to the conflict area through Military Choppers to access the Community and involve them too on County`s general development framework. The County team put their life at risk by dodging landmines planted by enemies across Kenya Somalia border but struggle to reach the community in those conflict stricken areas.

The above strategies employed in the practice promotes respect for Humanrights and democracy as every person is treated equally and important in the decision making process, enhancing peace building and conflict management actions as we register high citizen satisfaction levels.