Counties have been urged to enhance public participation as an essential element of successful good governance.
Uraia Trust Executive Director Grace Maingi said good public participation practices can help county governments be more accountable and responsive.
“It is through public participation where counties get the opportunity to interact with the public and share out some of the priorities they have lined up for action,” she said.
Ms Maingi said the public perception of county governments’ performance will be improved through public participation.
She said that numerous challenges have impeded the success of public participation in the Counties.
Speaking in Kisumu on Wednesday during a forum with civil society groups, Maingi said poorly designed public participation may simply waste financial resources and at worst can increase public skepticism if their input has not been taken seriously.
She said that all the stakeholders affected by a public authority’s decision have a right to be consulted and contribute to such a decision.
Maingi said counties must ensure that peoples’ opinions are respected and channel feedback on time on topical discussions.
“In a public participation forum, opinions must be respected and the counties should not be stiff with their plans. If the public realizes that some of their opinions have been ignored then they stop attending such forums,” she said.
The forum was organized by Transform Empowerment for Action Initiative (TEAM) and funded by Friendrich Ebert Stiftung.
TEAM Executive Director Collins Owuor said the forum is aimed at equipping civil society with skills on how to conduct public participation.