County residents called to attend public forum

By SILAH KOSKEI

Uasin Gishu, Kenya: Uasin Gishu residents have been challenged to participate in county development consultative forums to identify development priorities and make leaders account for set policies.

According to a research conducted by Uasin Gishu Local Urban Forum (UGLUF), many residents have been ignoring invitations to attend public forums from the County hence rarely contribute to matters pertinent to them.

Speaking in Eldoret during a consultative forum on the need to empower locals and appreciate their urban cities, Geoffrey Kirui chairperson UGLUF said that the low attendance rate of such forums has made locals to be in rebellion with county proposals on many issues.

He stated that it is ironical for the public to shun invites yet most county governments have open door polices that allow the public a chance contribute on leadership and keep track of development projects.

“The right to participate in consultative forums is enshrined in the constitution and the public should use the opportunity in sharing ideas towards the promotion of development,” he said.

He added that most people in counties have given a leeway to the leaders to operate without much care of the citizens since they are not subjected to any kind of scrutiny.

Kirui added that public participation is an avenue for county governments to comprehensively design proposals that encompass public interest thus efficient service delivery.

“The public should be the driving force so that the leaders should not have an opportunity to promote corruption but to solely empower development,” he added.

The chairman also noted that the consultation meetings should be used to inspire actions towards establishment of active citizen’s forum on engagement with County and Urban affairs.

In reference to the findings conducted by Oxfam on urban cities and its conditions which detail that over 4 million people are poor in the country, he said there is need for Counties to take up the challenge to empower its citizen in food productivity.

The report further details that high levels of urban food poverty in most regions in the country is alarming with women in most slums five times unemployed compared to men.

Kirui challenged the youth to become self-reliant and work towards promotion of services in urban cities saying that the move will help the country achieve its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

“High levels of inequality in the country will not only hamper poverty reduction and economic growth but become an impediment in all aspects of human development,” he added.

The forum was attended by Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) from the region, Kenya private sector, Kenya Association of Manufacturers, Kenya Chamber of Commerce among others.