Details

The task of the Resident associations is to mobilize communities to participate in the usage and monitoring of the application of public resources in their District. The reports of these RAs have already raised the awareness of citizens and public authorities.

As most of the RAs work within District boundaries, they are facing a challenge due to new creation and restructuring of districts and their appending administration. The meeting was to clarify, on which level the RAs want to carry on with their work and which legal process might be required. Furthermore there had been a change in the staff of Konrad Adenauer Foundation therefore the arrangement between Konrad Adenauer Foundation and the RAs had to be discussed and also the increasing independence of the RAs.

The meeting was joined by app. 150 representatives from Bondo, Bunyala, Busia, Samia, Kangundo, Kibwezi, Machakos, Makueni, Mbooni, Migori, Mt. Elgon, Mwala, Nyando, Nyeri North, Nyeri South, Nzaui, Rarienda, Rongo, Teso and Yatta. After an introduction of the RAs and the staff of Konrad Adenauer Foundation it was the task of the RAs to figure out possible solutions for the current situation and to present them in the plenary, which was followed by an open discussion.

Many RAs could accept the idea to eliminate the word ‘district’ in their name and work within their Constituency boundaries rather than sticking to the district. Only the RAs working in more than one Constituency require an individual solution according to their situation.

Also it was observed that many RAs still need to formalize their legal status i.g. registration, changes in constitution and name.