EU-DGSP(Democratic Governance
Support Programme) and the Pilot Project ‘Promoting Public
Participation in Local Governance
Introduction
The Democratic Governance Support Programme
(DGSP) is funded by the European Development Fund (EDF) in partnership
with Kenya’s Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs
(MoJCA). DGSP aims at enhancing democratic governance in Kenya
through strengthening the checks and balances of state institutions.
These are considered to include Parliament, the Judiciary, decentralised
government structures, independent bodies and civil society. The
Programme began in mid-2003 and will end in December 2006.
Activity Areas
DGSP has the following three mutually reinforcing activity areas:
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Assistance to Parliament:
The project, funded together with DFID, aims to establish
a legal and research department and improve current library
services. Modernisation of library, research and information
services in Parliament is undertaken with a view to enhancing
the effectiveness of MPs in parliament and supplying them
with information and services to better carry out their Parliamentary
duties
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Assistance to the Legal /Justice
system: The project’s main objective is to improve the
capacity of the Kenya Law Reform Commission (KLRC) to review
laws. Specifically it aims to increase the number and quality
of preliminary bills originating from KLRC. This will be achieved
through enhancement of
A
Flexible Fund to support initiatives of Civil Society Organisations,
NGOs, and government institutions: The ‘Flexible Fund’
component partly aims at strengthening Civil Society Organisations
to enable them pursue a wide range of activities in promoting
good governance. The ‘Flexible Fund’ selected
and provided grants to the Electoral Commission of Kenya,
the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, and 22 Governance
NGOs at the beginning of 2004. Implementation began in mid
2004 and is scheduled to end at the beginning of 2006.
At the end of July 2005, DGSP launched a second Call
for Proposals inviting qualified CSOs to implement a programme promoting
public participation in local governance. The programmes specific
purpose is to enhance the capacity of CSOs, residents associations,
other relevant organisations and communities to participate in managing,
monitoring, evaluating and at the end of the day benefiting from
decentralised funds. The Canadian International Development Agency
(CIDA) is co-funding a 25% contribution to the budget for this pilot
project.
The funds targeted include the Local Authority
Transfer Fund (LATF), the Constituency Development Fund (CDF),
the District Roads Maintenance Levy Fund, the Constituency/District
HIV/AIDS Fund, and the District Bursary Fund. The pilot project
will be implemented in nine districts or constituencies or local
authorities within those districts. The selected pilot districts
and Civil Society Organisations are: The League of Kenya Women
Voters (Bondo), Kazi Mashambani Development Programme (Bungoma),
ABANTU for Development (Kirinyaga), German Agro Action (Machakos),
CLARION, and Kenya Human Rights Commission (Mombasa), Shelter
Forum (Nairobi), Endorois (Nakuru) and Arid Lands Development
Focus (Wajir).
KIPPRA will be responsible for supporting the implementation
of the individual pilot projects through conducting supporting
policy research, producing information, education, and communication
materials and maintaining a flow of information between the grantees.
It will keep stakeholders informed of progress, undertake policy
analysis, and develop policy documents to be used as a basis for
the possible expansion of the pilot project. These activities
will also inform the work of other stakeholders.
Expected results of the
project include:
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Increased awareness of communities on opportunities
available in decentralised fund processes.
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Enhanced capacity of CBOs and communities
to lobby and influence the management of decentralised funds.
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Increased capacity of communities and local
network groups to participate in decentralised fund processes.
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