Transition Authority tells counties to do civic education

The Transition Authority (TA) has challenged county governments to provide designs and allocate funding for civic education at the grassroots level.

TA Chairman Kinuthia Wamwangi says with the transfer of many functions to counties, Kenyans have a constitutional right to be actively involved in the management of devolved governments

“Our Constitution requires public participation in governance processes. By providing for public participation as a national value and principle of governance, it demonstrates the need for citizens to be aware of their roles and responsibilities to enable them participate,” Wamwangi said.

Civil society

He said the authority, together with civil society groups and other stakeholders have already developed the national framework for civic education and it was now up to counties to enact their legal framework for the same.

“I would like to request counties to budget adequately for civic education at all levels. I also appeal to the national government to budget for capacity building on the same so that we can be able to roll out the exercise as soon as possible,” the chairman said.

Wamwangi was addressing stakeholders at a retreat to review the civic education curriculum on devolution and public participation and review of information, education and communication materials held at Waterbuck Hotel in Nakuru County.

He challenged county government to recognise the role of civil society groups in civic education and avoid situations where the programme would be made a stand-alone function in departments within their counties.

Wamwangi said lack of civic education had led to rejection of a large number of laws formulated by county assemblies.

“A large number of Bills passed by the county assemblies were challenged in court due to lack of public participation owing to delay in rolling out civic education on time,” said the chairman.

Wamwangi said with the transfer of many functions of the national Government to counties, there was an immediate need for civic education to be rolled out. He said the national and county governments had agreed to transfer the road function to the counties within the next one week and that TA was in the process of concluding auditing and sharing of assets between the two levels of government.

On the controversy surrounding the employment of Early Childhood Education (ECD) teachers between the TSC and Knut, Wamwangi said the function is supposed to be under the county governments.

Meanwhile, evangelical bishops in the country have expressed concern over the misuse of power at the national and county levels.

Addressing the Press after a two-day workshop at Sentrim Lodge in Gilgil, the over 50 clerics under the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya called for the enactment of laws to curb the vice.

The alliance chairman Bishop Mark Kariuki called on MPs, senators and MCAs to exercise powers within the law. Kariuki identified the ongoing impeachment of governors by MCAs as a worrying trend adding that there was more in the whole process.

“The church is concerned about governance at both the national and county levels, particularly the abuse of power,” he said.

Kariuki condemned corruption terming it as evil and called on the Government to do more in addressing it.

“Corruption is evil whether in the Government or out and we take this opportunity to condemn it and ask for stringent measures,” he said.

Legitimate government

He noted that the country was experiencing a host of challenges including insecurity, terrorism, nepotism and drug abuse.

Kariuki called on the Government and the opposition to exercise civility and humility in tackling the challenges facing the country.

“There is a legitimate government in place which has the mandate to protect the constitution and the people of Kenya,” he said.

The alliance also called on politicians across the country to avoid hate speech, noting that this was likely to incite people to violence.

Kariuki said the planned rallies by CORD should not be used to cause anarchy and advised the youth not to be used to cause violence.

On security, the church leaders supported the Nyumba Kumi imitative and called on Kenyans to support the idea.

“All Kenyans should embrace security issues including the Nyumba Kumi initiative and report any suspicious persons to the police,” he said.

He called for a national dialogue that would include all leaders so as to articulate the issues that are affecting the nation.