Open Sessions

SOU-71 | KENYA’S DEVOLVED GOVERNANCE: PROMOTING NATIONAL UNITY THROUGH PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND INCLUSIVITY IN URBAN MANAGEMENT

19 May

19 May

9:00 to 12:30

Venue: Room 4

LEAD ORGANIZER

United Cities and Local Governments of Africa

Tel: +212(0)537 260 062

Email: info@uclga.org

Web: https://www.uclga.org/

PRESENTATION OF THE SESSION

CAF
Africa’s urban centres will expand trendously in population and area in the coming two decades. This population is culturally diverse, comprises of marginalized and minorities communities, and has a high proportion of youthful and productive age group needing jobs, services and social amenities. There is concern that intermediary cities recieve minimal attention from national authorities, and the potential for disaffection and conflict among residents due to competion for resources and opportunities is underated. Innovative governance approaches such as public participation do promote harmonious coexistence, a prerequisite for national unity. Thus the need to continue highlighting the plight of intermediary cities and possible interventions to attract policy and other support.   Public participation has become a key governance process as African countries have incorporated it into their legal systems and institutional performance evaluation. This importance is also reflected in the African Union level under the ‘Charter on Decentralization’, and in the constitutions of AU affiliate bodies such as the UCLG-A. It is thus an important process towards cohesive cities, an ingredient for national prosperity and unity, espoused under Agenda 2063.   The objective of the session is to highlight the place of public participation, especially in promoting cohesion at city and national level using Kenya’s ten-year devolution experience, and drum up its utilization, and seek enhanced national governments support.   The session will articulate public participation as a constitutionally required governance process for devolved units; and demonstrate public desire to participate in governance by reviewing the status of public participation in Kenya through; the legal instruments and courts intervention, and evaluating its utlization by counties. A review of Kenya’s urban population growth trend, diversity and age, as conflict-risk factors, will show the value of effective public participation as a mechanism to build cohesive and tolerant cities, that are a foundation for national unity. It will call on delegates to lobby their governments to ascent to the AU Charter on Decentralization and its domestication under national laws, and also for representation of subnational governments within the regional bodies.   What is the contribution of the session and its recommendations to the overall objective of the Summit? Promote public participation as a governance process critical to prosperous intermediary cities, that are ready vehicles for UN agenda 2030 and AU Agenda 2063.   What are the key outcomes? -        Appreciation and use of public participation among local governments; -        Support for the call for adoption and domestication of ‘Charter on Decentralization’ and for representation of local governments at regional bodies.      

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