scholarly journals An Assessment of the Effect of Mass Media Platforms and County Assembly Initiatives on Public Participation in Kitui County

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 50-55
Author(s):  
Kasina Musunza ◽  
Wilson Muna
Keyword(s):  
Mass Media ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
Public Engagement ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
Target Population ◽  
County Government ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
County Governments ◽  
The Public ◽  
Distribution Of Resources

Devolution entails the decentralization of power and distribution of resources from the national government to the county governments. To ensure that national and county governments are providing good governance, public participation is vital. Studies done indicate that there is no information pertaining to devolutuon, county governments,  and public participation in the Kenyan county governments. In this study, Kitui county has been used to assess the county assembly initiative and the mass media initiative and their effectiveness in encouraging public participation. The exploratory research design was used to collect data from the target population of Kitui Central Sub County. Data was collected from 100 respondents using structured questionnaires. From the results received, it is evident that Kitui County Government has taken steps to enhance public participation by implementing Mass Media initiatives and County Assembly initiatives. Although, most of the respondents saw the need for the county government to put in more effort to ensure that the public is involved in governance, establishing efficient and effective public engagement initiatives will help strengthen public participation in devolved structures.

scholarly journals The Role of Public Participation in Governance towards Achieving Sustainable Development. Part 1

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 395-404
Author(s):  
Maurice S. Nyarangaa ◽  
Chen Hao ◽  
Duncan O. Hongo
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
Policy Formulation ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
Political Class ◽  
The Public ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
The Government

Public participation aimed at improving the effectiveness of governance by involving citizens in governance policy formulation and decision-making processes. It was designed to promote transparency, accountability and effectiveness of any modern government. Although Kenya has legally adopted public participation in day-to-day government activities, challenges still cripple its effectiveness as documented by several scholars. Instead of reducing conflicts between the government and the public, it has heightened witnessing so many petitions of government missing on priorities in terms of development and government policies. Results show that participation weakly relates with governance hence frictions sustainable development. Theoretically, public participation influences governance efficiency and development, directly and indirectly, thus sustainable development policy and implementation depends on Public participation and good governance. However, an effective public participation in governance is has been fractioned by the government. Instead of being a promoter/sponsor of public participation, the government of Kenya has failed to put structures that would spur participation of citizens in policy making and other days to activities. This has brought about wrong priority setting and misappropriation of public resources; The government officials and political class interference ultimately limit public opinion and input effects on decision-making and policy formulation, which might be an inner factor determining the failure of public participation in Kenya. The study suggests the need for strengthening public participation by establishing an independent institution to preside over public participation processes.

scholarly journals Understanding the Influence and Effects of Devolution on Agricultural Development: A Case Study of Garissa County, Kenya

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 110-114
Author(s):  
Hussein Abdi Ali ◽  
Salah Abdirahaman Farah
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Development ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
County Government ◽  
Department Of Agriculture ◽  
County Governments ◽  
The Public ◽  
Agriculture Sector ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Research Findings

The Agriculture sector in Kenya is as important as the country. Much of the agricultural function was transferred to the devolved units when the new constitution was passed by Kenyans and promulgated. The question many are asking is, have county governments initiated strategies in place to improve food security and ultimately contribute to the economy. Agriculture is the major contributor of our economy today. Kenya needs to be a self-sufficient country and feed its people. County governments have a huge role in ensuring this objective achieved. Based on this, a research title is proposed “Understanding the influence and effects of devolution on agricultural development: A case study of Garissa county, Kenya” The research seeks to clarify to the public and the other stakeholders concerned if actually devolved units have done anything to improve the agricultural sector since its inception. Have county governments put clear, achievable and practical strategies for this sector to grow and how best can counties improve this important sector. The research findings will be very helpful to those who are involve in the agricultural sector, directly or indirectly. The research objectives are; to compare performance of agriculture before and after devolution, to evaluate the achievements of devolution in the agricultural sector, to analyse the challenges faced by county governments in developing this sector, to examine the perception of the public on the best strategies to improve agriculture in Kenya and to give synthesised recommendations to all stakeholders. The research was conducted within Garissa County, four out of the six sub counties. A total of 310 respondents were engaged ranging from farmers, the general public and the staff of the county government The research found out that there is a gap in the sector that needs attention. Agricultural production, although remained steadfast over the years, has been in deplorable situation. The research findings is helpful to all stakeholders-both levels of governments, farmers, the public and non-state actors.  The research commends that the County governments should use bottom-up approach strategy when making critical decision affecting the department. This will aid them obtain raw and unbiased information for action. The department of agriculture experts should be deployed to all sub counties (at the grassroots). 95 percent of these staff stay at county headquarters doing nothing. Their presence at the villages, farms will come in handy or the farmers. People with experience and experts should be employed to spearhead this exercise. Routine visits should be made to the farming areas.

scholarly journals Investigating the role of public participation in wind energy project development in Ontario

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anahita Asadolahniajami
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
Wind Power ◽  
Public Engagement ◽  
Knowledge Broker ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Project Development ◽  
The Public

the past several decades, the scope of decision-making in the public domain has changed from a focus on unilateral regulatory verdicts to a more comprehensive process that engages all stakeholders. Consequently, there has been a distinct increase in public participation in the environmental decision-making process. While the potential benefits of public engagement are substantial in terms of identifying synergies between public and industry stakeholders that encourage project development, this participation does not come without its challenges. To meet global energy demands and fulfill ambitious targets for greenhouse gas reduction, renewable energy has received increased attention as a feasible alternative to conventional sources of energy. However, current literature on renewable energy, particularly on wind power, highlights potential social barriers to renewable energy investment. This study investigates the role of public participation by reviewing two case studies of the Ontario wind power generation market to identify the facilitators and constrainers that affected public input into wind project development in Ontario and recommends a participatory framework in the hope of improving public engagement in the wind project development decision-making process. The recommended framework in this research requires all stakeholders to reconsider their current roles in the decision-making process. The public should engage in project planning and monitor the decision-making processes to ensure that their concerns have been addressed. Developers should address public concerns through a consensus building process initiated early in their planning process. Federal and provincial governments have to reclaim their role of ongoing leadership and provide better criteria for implementation and evaluation of the public participation processes. Finally, the process requires a third party who is not only an intermediary, but also plays the role of a knowledge-broker to connect with stakeholders, share and exchange knowledge, and work on overcoming barriers. The knowledge-broker helps to fulfill the main requirement of the collaborative decision-making, which is effective communication.

scholarly journals Citizen Participation in the Formulation of Public Policy in Mombasa County, Kenya

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 90-107
Author(s):  
Stephen Kiruku Kamau ◽  
Daniel Mange Mbirithi
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
Citizen Participation ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
Policy Formulation ◽  
County Government ◽  
Public Policy Making ◽  
Policy Making Process ◽  
Main Factors

To assist the government in determining its mandate, citizens should be involved as they best know their needs. The significance of citizen engagement in the process of policy formulation is rooted in among others, the fact that public policy outputs and effects affect those to whom the policy is targeted at. This study aimed to determine the effect of public participation in the public policy making process in Mombasa County, Kenya. The objectives of the research were; to establish the modes of citizen participation used in public policy making process in Mombasa County, Kenya; to determine the main factors that influence citizen participation in public policy making process; to establish the implication of citizen participation in public policy making process and to determine the extent of citizen/ public participation in public policy making process. The study was guided by Good Governance Theory.  The study utilized descriptive survey research design. The study targeted 560 County government and civil society representatives including women leaders, youth leaders and people living with disabilities representatives. The study used Yamane formulae to determine the sample size of 233 respondents. Purposive sampling was employed to select respondents. Data were collected through primary sources which include questionnaire, and interview schedule; while the secondary data were collected from the documentary sources. Data analysis involved both quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively and inferentially, and presented through frequency tables, pie chart and bar graphs. Qualitative data were analyzed by themes and presented through narration and pros forms. The findings of the study established that the main factors that affect citizen participation in formulation of public policy include direct benefits (financial, material), tangible or non-tangible to long or short term, among others. Other factors such as culture, history, government policy and social, political and economic structures influence community participation. Also, the findings of the study revealed that citizens are well acquainted with public policy processes and there is effective county government guidelines and clear standards enhance public policy making processes. The study findings revealed that involvement in policy formulation is positively related to performance. Also, consultation enables easy supervision of work. The research also concluded that education is essential for both parties who are participating towards high quality public policy formulation as it would certainly reduce unnecessary manipulation and the problem brought on by lack of knowledge, accountability and transparency and understanding of each party’s requirements. The study recommends that County Government of Mombasa should establish a participatory framework that allows citizens to monitor and evaluate development outcomes in the counties to ensure better decision making and implementation for subsequent projects and plans.

scholarly journals Achieving Public Participation through Risk Management for Sustainable Procurement Management in Devolved System of Governments in Kenya

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 147
Author(s):  
Eunice Gitiri Njagi ◽  
Gregory S. Namusonge ◽  
Noor Ismail Shale
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
Public Procurement ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Monitoring And Evaluation ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Procurement Management ◽  
County Governments ◽  
Safety Issues ◽  
Sustainable Procurement

Public participation is a concept enshrined in the Kenyan constitution, 2010 with an intention to devolve powers to the common citizens and increase transparency and accountability hence may play a role towards public procurement sustainability. However, the relationship between public participation through risk management and sustainable procurement management has not yet been established despite many community-based infrastructure projects facing a lot of supply disruptions, health and safety issues as well as poor supplier selection in county governments in Kenya. The study, therefore, intended to assess the influence of public participation through risk management for sustainable procurement management in devolved systems of government in Kenya. The study adopted a descriptive study design. The target population was 1146 while 348 respondents were sampled through a stratified sampling method from Makueni, Machakos, and Kitui Counties. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect data, descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze collected data while the F-test was used to test the hypothesis of the study. SPSS aided in data analysis. Key findings of the study indicate a positive and linear relationship between public participation (risk management) and sustainable procurement management.  A recommendation is therefore made to both national Government and county governments to stipulate and implement policies that would improve public participation so as to improve sustainable procurement management in devolved systems of government. The study proposes that another public participation framework stipulates (Procurement planning, contract administration, monitoring, and evaluation) as well as other counties be investigated in order to have a holistic picture of the phenomena and the entire country.

Public Participation During Urban Planning in Multi-Level Modern Mass Media

2016 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 118-123
Author(s):  
Anqi Zhang ◽  
Jingliang Chen
Keyword(s):  
Urban Planning ◽  
Mass Media ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
High Speed ◽  
The Public ◽  
Man And Nature ◽  
Comprehensive Survey ◽  
One Year ◽  
Modern Mass ◽  
Communication Planning

Urban planning is the blueprint for the development of urban construction and the basis for management of a city. The urban planning of China’s high-speed modernization has encountered many bottlenecks, and the gap between the daily living needs of residents and the urban planning objectives has attracted particular attention. Harmonious development between man and nature is necessary to build a harmonious society, and urban planning that is close to the needs of residents and more humanized has become the main goal of urbanization. In this paper, urban planning of Zhuhai City was studied for one year. Zhuhai focuses on building transport hub, industrial layout, and urban development in three major patterns. Many problems in the planning and management of Zhuhai City were encountered in the past, because the plans are only heavy concepts that ignore implementation and lack of comprehensive survey. Based on the concept of communication planning, the main features of the public participation in the urban planning model through modern mass media may be suitable for achieving the objectives and satisfying public needs. Urban planning and decision-making in Zhuhai City in recent years are evaluated by SWOT method. Future plans of Zhuhai City are discussed.

Community views and perspectives on public engagement in health technology assessment decision making

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally Wortley ◽  
Allison Tong ◽  
Kirsten Howard
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
Healthcare System ◽  
Public Engagement ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
The Public

Objectives The aim of the present study was to describe community views and perspectives on public engagement processes in Australian health technology assessment (HTA) decision making. Methods Six focus groups were held in Sydney (NSW, Australia) as part of a broad program of work on public engagement and HTA. Eligible participants were aged ≥18 years and spoke English. Participants were asked about their views and perspectives of public engagement in the HTA decision-making process, with responses analysed using a public participation framework. Results Fifty-eight participants aged 19–71 years attended the focus groups. Responses from the public indicated that they wanted public engagement in HTA to include a diversity of individuals, be independent and transparent, involve individuals early in the process and ensure that public input is meaningful and useful to the process. This was consistent with the public participation framework. Perceived shortcomings of the current public engagement process were also identified, namely the lack of awareness of the HTA system in the general population and the need to acknowledge the role different groups of stakeholders or ‘publics’ can have in the process. Conclusions The public do see a role for themselves in the HTA decision-making process. This is distinct to the involvement of patients and carers. It is important that any future public engagement strategy in this field distinguishes between stakeholder groups and outline approaches that will involve members of the public in the decision-making process, especially if public expectations of involvement in healthcare decision-making continue to increase. What is known about this topic? The views and perspectives of patients and consumers are important in the HTA decision-making process. There is a move to involve the broader community, particularly as decisions become increasingly complex and resources more scarce. What does this paper add? It not been known to what extent, or at what points, the community would like to be engaged with the HTA decision-making process. The present study adds to the evidence base on this topic by identifying features of engagement that may be important in determining the extent of wider public involvement. It is clear that the community expects the system to be transparent, for patients to be involved early in specific processes and the wider community to be able to contribute to the broader vision of the healthcare system. What are the implications for practitioners? A formalised strategy is needed to include the public voice into health technology decisions. With the current level of reform in the healthcare sector and the focus on creating a sustainable healthcare system, there is a real opportunity to implement an approach that not only informs patients and the community of the challenges, but includes and incorporates their views into these decisions. This will assist in developing and adapting policy that is relevant and meets the needs of the population.

scholarly journals Investigating the role of public participation in wind energy project development in Ontario

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anahita Asadolahniajami
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
Wind Power ◽  
Public Engagement ◽  
Knowledge Broker ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Project Development ◽  
The Public

the past several decades, the scope of decision-making in the public domain has changed from a focus on unilateral regulatory verdicts to a more comprehensive process that engages all stakeholders. Consequently, there has been a distinct increase in public participation in the environmental decision-making process. While the potential benefits of public engagement are substantial in terms of identifying synergies between public and industry stakeholders that encourage project development, this participation does not come without its challenges. To meet global energy demands and fulfill ambitious targets for greenhouse gas reduction, renewable energy has received increased attention as a feasible alternative to conventional sources of energy. However, current literature on renewable energy, particularly on wind power, highlights potential social barriers to renewable energy investment. This study investigates the role of public participation by reviewing two case studies of the Ontario wind power generation market to identify the facilitators and constrainers that affected public input into wind project development in Ontario and recommends a participatory framework in the hope of improving public engagement in the wind project development decision-making process. The recommended framework in this research requires all stakeholders to reconsider their current roles in the decision-making process. The public should engage in project planning and monitor the decision-making processes to ensure that their concerns have been addressed. Developers should address public concerns through a consensus building process initiated early in their planning process. Federal and provincial governments have to reclaim their role of ongoing leadership and provide better criteria for implementation and evaluation of the public participation processes. Finally, the process requires a third party who is not only an intermediary, but also plays the role of a knowledge-broker to connect with stakeholders, share and exchange knowledge, and work on overcoming barriers. The knowledge-broker helps to fulfill the main requirement of the collaborative decision-making, which is effective communication.

scholarly journals A Framework for Open Civic Design: Integrating Public Participation, Crowdsourcing, and Design Thinking

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Brandon Reynante ◽  
Steven P. Dow ◽  
Narges Mahyar
Keyword(s):  
Public Participation ◽  
Public Engagement ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Effective Management ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Public ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Future Work

Civic problems are often too complex to solve through traditional top-down strategies. Various governments and civic initiatives have explored more community-driven strategies where citizens get involved with defining problems and innovating solutions. While certain people may feel more empowered, the public at large often does not have accessible, flexible, and meaningful ways to engage. Prior theoretical frameworks for public participation typically offer a one-size-fits-all model based on face-to-face engagement and fail to recognize the barriers faced by even the most engaged citizens. In this article, we explore a vision for open civic design where we integrate theoretical frameworks from public engagement, crowdsourcing, and design thinking to consider the role technology can play in lowering barriers to large-scale participation, scaffolding problem-solving activities, and providing flexible options that cater to individuals’ skills, availability, and interests. We describe our novel theoretical framework and analyze the key goals associated with this vision: (1) to promote inclusive and sustained participation in civics; (2) to facilitate effective management of large-scale participation; and (3) to provide a structured process for achieving effective solutions. We present case studies of existing civic design initiatives and discuss challenges, limitations, and future work related to operationalizing, implementing, and testing this framework.

scholarly journals PARTISIPASI PUBLIK SEBAGAI STRATEGI MEWUJUDKAN GOOD GOVERNANCE OTONOMI DAERAH

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammadiah Muhammadiah
Keyword(s):  
Public Participation ◽  
Regional Development ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
Regional Autonomy ◽  
The Public ◽  
Strategic Role

Achieve good governance through public participation is a must. The big challenge in governance and development in the era of regional autonomy sourced from within the community. In society there is a potential and enormous resources, if utilized properly will contribute significantly to the progress of society and areas .. The experiences show that governance and development without involving the public's participation will face serious problems. Because it must be recognized by government actors that the public should be involved in every stage of the process of governance and development programs. Communities are stakeholders that should not be ignored, because they have a strategic role and the potential for continuity of government and regional development. Mewujudkan good governance melalui partispasi publik merupakan suatu keniscayaan. Tantangan besar dalam penyelenggaraan pemerintahan dan pembangunan di era otonomi daerah bersumber dari dalam masyarakat. Di dalam masyarakat terdapat potensi dan sumber daya yang sangat besar, jika dimanfaatkan secara baik akan memberi kontribusi nyata bagi kemajuan masyarakat dan daerah.. Berbagai pengalaman menunjukkan bahwa penyelenggaraan pemerintahan dan pembangunan tanpa melibatkan partsipasi public akan menghadapi persoalan serius. Karena itu harus disadari oleh aktor-aktor pemerintahan bahwa masyarakat seharusnya dilibatkan dalam setiap proses tahapan program pemerintahan dan pembangunan. Masyarakat merupakan stakeholders yang tidak boleh diabaikan, karena mereka memiliki peran dan potensi strategis bagi kelangsungan pemerintahan dan pembangunan daerah.

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