Let citizens do scoring for the county leaders

The National Assembly during a past session.[File, Standard]

Good governance is the bedrock of sustainable and inclusive development within county governments. At the heart of good governance lies accountability, acting as a catalyst that allows the ‘cake’ of good governance to rise.

Just as baking powder gives a cake its texture and form, accountability fosters service delivery devoid of abuse of power and corruption. To appreciate the centrality of accountability in Kenya’s governance journey, one must reflect on the pre 2010 constitutional order. The centralised system of governance fostered a widespread perception of a distant and unaccountable state.

Patronage networks flourished, and citizens often felt disconnected from the decision-making processes that directly affected their lives. The 2010 Constitution marked a turning point. The new constitutional order promised something radical: proximity.

Power closer to the people, resources directed to where needs exist, and leadership that is accountable at the grassroots level. Devolution, therefore, stands as Kenya’s most consequential governance reform designed to confront the deep-rooted accountability deficits that once plagued our country.

Accountability operates along three mutually reinforcing dimensions, namely horizontal, vertical, and diagonal accountability. Horizontal accountability exists where state institutions, such as Parliament and the Judiciary, check and balance one another. Vertical accountability is exercised by citizens through elections, where leaders are rewarded or sanctioned at the ballot.

One of the most practical and impactful expressions of diagonal accountability in Kenya today is the Community Score Card (CSC). The Community Score Card is a tool used to assess and improve the quality of public services in a community.

The CSC is a participatory approach that engages the citizens in evaluating and monitoring the performance of the duty bearers.

What makes the CSC particularly compelling is its emphasis on constructive engagement rather than adversarial confrontation. It transforms citizens from passive recipients of services into active partners in governance. By fostering mutual accountability, CSC builds trust, enhances transparency, and promotes responsiveness in public institutions.

Further, the CSC aligns seamlessly with constitutional principles, particularly the principles of good governance, including public participation, transparency, and accountability enshrined in Articles 10 and 174 of the Constitution.

It also complements existing oversight frameworks by providing real-time, local-level feedback that can inform policy decisions and resource allocation.

County governments, as the primary providers of essential services such as health, water, and agriculture, are uniquely positioned to benefit from this approach. The CSC offers counties a structured mechanism to deepen public participation, moving beyond compliance to meaningful engagement.

For the CSC to realise its full potential, several critical enablers must be in place. Firstly, there must be political will and administrative commitment at the county level to institutionalise the tool in all sectors and within planning and budgeting processes.

Secondly, capacity building is essential to ensure that both citizens and public officers can engage effectively. Thirdly, there must be clear mechanisms for tracking and reporting on agreed actions.

By embracing this approach, county governments can move closer to a governance model that is not only accountable but also inclusive, responsive, and transformative.

– Chief Executive Officer, Council of Governors