| dc.description.abstract | Citizen participation in local governance is a new paradigm in good governance
embraced by countries that have a deliberate interest in improving the lives of their
citizens at the grassroots. Indeed, from the late 20th Century, many African countries
including Uganda, Kenya and the Sudan started experimenting such new ideas after
enacting laws to create an enabling environment.
This research study assessed the significance of citizens’ participation in enhancing local
governance by taking the case of MunukiPayam (Sub-County). The study particularly
aimed at finding out the activities of local government in the MunukiPayam, establish
people’s understanding of citizen participation, assess the importance of citizen
participation in enhancing local governance and, to find out the challenges to citizen
participation in enhancing local governance. This was in the view that the local
government institutions in MunukiPayam have disengaged from the citizens.
Acase study design and a qualitative approach were used to assess the significance of
citizen participation in enhancing local governance. Data was collected in May and June
2014, using structured in-depth interviews and focus group discussions techniques with
58 respondents purposely and simple randomly selected from the study population,
analyzed using a narrative and content analysis technique.
The study established that citizen participation takes place in three dimensions; at an
individual level, as a community through associations or organizations and engagement
with government or other stakeholders. It also found out that citizens play a critical role
in providing accurate information and setting priorities that address the true problems of
the people. The study found out that low levels of education amongst the citizens,
unfairness in staffing and volatile security situation and corruption in the country are
detrimental to citizen participation.
The study concludes that the participation of citizens in their locality affairs enhances
local governance as shall be reflected in development, peace and prosperity of the area
and the country at large.
Finally, the study recommends that government and other institutions like security organs
should provide an enabling environment for the operation of CSOs and NGOs. Further,
the government and other development agencies should continuously and consistently
engage with citizens in setting their development priorities. The study also recommends
that the government through support of partners needs to encourage training for
community leaders to enhance the quality of their participation in important discussions;
corruption must also be sternly fought by strengthening the rule of law and the judicial
system. Finally the study strongly recommends that peace be restored in the country by
embracing the ongoing peace negotiations efforts under the auspices of IGAD. | en_US |
