KAKAMEGA TO ADVANCE OPEN GOVERNMENT AGENDA IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MZALENDO TRUST

The County Government of Kakamega, in partnership with Mzalendo Trust, on Tuesday held a capacity-building workshop for members of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) technical committee; aimed at equipping the members with knowledge on effective implementation of 2024–2027 OGP Action Plan.

The plan focuses on promoting transparency, accountability, innovation, and citizen participation in collaboration with Civil Society Organizations and key stakeholders. The session also drew lessons from Nandi County’s success in advancing open governance.

CECM for Public Service and County Administration, Dr. Bonface Okoth, commended Mzalendo Trust for supporting the initiative, noting that it aligns with Governor Fernandes Barasa’s good governance agenda. He emphasized that adopting best practices such as civic education, public participation, structured barazas and call centre services, from the County’s peers will strengthen Kakamega’s approach to open governance.

Mzalendo Trust’s Mr. Gitungo Wamere reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to supporting Kakamega in rolling out the OGP plan and encouraged the county to leverage technology, civic awareness and independent reporting mechanisms to promote accountability and inclusivity

The workshop covered the OGP framework, roles of technical and steering committees in implementation of OGP commitment, identification of county priorities, the action plan cycle, citizen engagement strategies, stakeholder mapping and lessons from Nandi County, all geared towards strengthening service delivery and public trust.