An analysis of mechanisms used by CSOs in the promotion of community participation in governance in Kenya

• Date: 01 May 2018
• Published date: 01 May 2018
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/pa.1675

ACADEMIC PAPER

An analysis of mechanisms used by CSOs in the promotion of

community participation in governance in Kenya

Jane Wamaitha Munene |D. Reckson Thakhathi

Faculty of Management and Commerce, Public

Administration, University of Fort Hare, Alice,

South Africa

Correspondence

Jane Wamaitha Munene, Faculty of

Management and Commerce, Public

Administration, University of Fort Hare,

Private Bag X1314 Alice 5700, South Africa.

Email: jmwmunene@gmail.com;

jmunene@youthventuresini.org

Civil society organizations (CSOs) are often perceived to provide the magic bullet to complex

societal problems including alternative approaches that ensure good governance. Fresh new

research is therefore needed due to the prevailing paradox of escalating governance challenges

in Kenya despite CSOs efforts to address the same. This paper specifically seeks to understand

mechanisms that CSOs use as they seek to intervene in governance issues in Kenya. It links

persistent poor governance happening at the counties to inadequate mechanisms used by CSOs.

It argues that CSOs have not been bold enough to confront poor governance but, instead, have

used superficial mechanisms with little outcomes. They have particularly focused on providing

trainings and creating awareness and have shied away from more direct engagement with poor

governance such as monitoring utilization of public funds. The study methodology involved a

survey, focus group discussions, and in‐depth face to face interviews. The tools used included a

survey questionnaire, Focus Group Discussion guide and In‐depth Interview guide. Among the

recommendations are that CSOs need to go beyond creating awareness and trainings and engage

with governance issues more directly using well‐tried mechanisms.

1|DISCUSSIONS OF CONCEPTS USED IN

THIS STUDY

1.1 |The concept of governance

Heyden (1996), one of the proponents of the concept of governance,

argues that it is about the task of running a government or any other

organization. His explanation is that there are three variables; namely,

citizens are firstly influenced by taking part in the governance process

and present their opinions, after which the aggregation of these opin-

ions takes place and development of public policy; there is then the

means for bringing to account the rulers for their decisions and actions.

Further, Heyden (1996) argues that governance has to do with respon-

sive and responsible leadership, and finally, he argues that it has to do

with social reciprocity which refers to the extent citizens or groups

treat and tolerates each other. This would be in line with definitions

that have been referred to as “good”governance and “bad”gover-

nance, often argued by the World Bank (1989).

Thesethree variables canbe used to define the relationshipbetween

rulers and the ruled in terms of two categories of “democratic”and

“authoritarian”in respect to the nature of governance that emerges in

that relationship. A regime that supports this kind of arrangement is

deemed as “democratic,”and the one that does not is viewed to be

“authoritarian.”But there areother scholars who include Rhodes(1996)

who argue that governance extend beyond political sovereignty and

has to do with all social organizations.

World Bank (1989) perceives governance as a process through

which decisions are made and implemented. Government is viewed

as just one of the entities involved in governance. The others include

landlords, farmers associations, cooperatives, nongovernmental

organizations (NGOs), research institutions, religious leaders, finance

institutions, political parties, military, and others.

The World Bank (1989) also articulates the principles of good

governance. These include participation of all involved, has consensus,

is accountable, transparent, responsive, effective, is equitable, is

inclusive, and observes the rule of law. Grindle (2004) argues that good

governance is an ideal situation that is difficult to fathom or achieve.

Shipley and Kovacs (2008) note that studies indicate that good gover-

nance principles and practices are important for effective functioning of

agencies. Shipley and Kovacs (2008) also note a set of governance

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This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided

the original work is properly cited.

© 2017 The Authors. Journal of Public Affairs Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Received: 24 February 2017 Accepted: 1 August 2017

DOI: 10.1002/pa.1675

J Public Affairs. 2018;18:e1675.

https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.1675

wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/pa 1of6