Publication: Realizing the Devolution Dividend in Kenya through Cohesive Public Finance Management and Public Participation at County Level: Challenges, Lessons Learned, and Recommendations
Date
2017-08
ISSN
Published
2017-08
Author(s)
Wanjiru, Rose
Otsola, Paul
Kangu, Mutakha
Werunga, Murumba
Owuor, Christine
Omolo, Annette
Abstract
This report covers four areas that had
been identified by County officers from both the County
Executive and the County Assembly as areas that have brought
conflict and disharmony in Counties. These issues and
challenges cut across Public Finance Management (PFM),
public participation, functions and powers of the County
actors and formed the basis for capacity building and
training intervention that was provided through the Council
of Governors (CoG) and Kenya School of Government (KSG) with
the support from the Kenya Accountable Devolution Program
(KADP). This brief report highlights the issues and
challenges identified in four thematic areas and then
provides the identified good practices and lessons learned
that can be considered and implemented by County
Governments. The first chapter discusses the PFM legal
framework with reference to the fundamental processes of
planning, budgeting, revenue, expenditure, and financial
reporting and relates these to identified areas of conflict
that are experienced while executing various PFM processes.
The chapter also makes corresponding recommendations for
good PFM practices in Counties. The second chapter
highlights the challenges that County Governments have
experienced in rolling out public participation and provides
conceptual clarification and examples of good practices. The
third chapter highlights areas that were recurring areas of
misunderstanding and misinterpretation with regard to the
Constitution and legislative framework on devolution
(especially relating to functions and powers of the County
Executive and County Assembly). Further, it articulates the
Constitutional framework and interpretations of key
provisions covering those areas of concern to facilitate
common understanding that would help reduce recurring
operational disharmony and conflicts. The fourth chapter
highlights challenges that the County assemblies experience
while executing their responsibilities with regard to fiscal
matters and suggests good practices that should address
these. This report is intended to be a simple, practical,
go-to reference resource for County Executives and County
Assemblies on common challenges that they experience while
executing their roles and responsibilities and suggests good
practices that can help them navigate through the challenges.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“Wanjiru, Rose; Otsola, Paul; Kangu, Mutakha; Werunga, Murumba; Owuor, Christine; Omolo, Annette. 2017. Realizing the Devolution Dividend in Kenya through Cohesive Public Finance Management and Public Participation at County Level: Challenges, Lessons Learned, and Recommendations. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/29624 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”