As the lead of a consortium of Kenyan and international institutions in implementing the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) funded CSOs led Kenya Devolution Programme (Timiza Ugatuzi) we hope to contribute to making devolution more effective in Kenya with an emphasis on improving service delivery and poverty reduction through engaging and supporting regional blocs.
To facilitate this, Timiza Ugatuzi (KDP) held a Regional economic bloc progress review and exchange forum on the 1st and 2nd of November in Nairobi brought together representatives from the Lake, Central, Coast, North Rift, South Eastern, Narok and Kajiado Regional economic blocs and the Frontier Counties Development Council Secretariat. In attendance were representatives from the Ministry of Devolution, Senate and FCDO- Regional Advisers and Governance Team
The engagement offered an opportunity for peer learning and exchange on key success factors and greatest hurdles in the establishment, operationalization, and delivery of the mandates of the regional economic blocs.
A few ideas that were presented during the exchange forum, was the need for:
1. Quarterly Progress Review and Knowledge Exchange Forums shall be held and hosted on a rotational basis by the Blocs to showcase good practices and provide a learning platform;
2. A technical working team shall be set up to consider the provisions of the County Resources Development Bill, 2021 that seeks to provide an overarching framework for the formation of regional economic blocs between counties that currently before the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Budget;
3. The need for documentation of the Journey of Creation and Operationalization of the blocs: Lessons Learnt, Challenges and Opportunities in preparation for the Induction of Member County Governors after the next General Elections.
It emerged that the blocs are founded on different institutional arrangements and legal frameworks. Yet, they are dominantly driven by the interests and goodwill of member Counties’ leadership. The REBs are understandably at different levels of establishment, operationalisation, and resourcing, largely dependent on the secondment of staff. Even with the great progress and commitment of the bloc teams, what seems to be of greatest concern, is the operational sustainability of the blocs and their ability to push on with their mandates which we hope to support.
