Governing without Citizens? A Comparative Analysis of Rural Local Governments' Capacity for Participatory Governance in Kenya and Uganda
Abstract
This comparative study examines the capacity for participatory governance in rural local governments of Kenya and Uganda. It focuses on the institutional structures, regulatory environments, and actual practices that enable or constrain citizen engagement in local decision-making processes. Decentralization theory, public participation theory, and governance theory underpin the research, which investigates the implementation of legal frameworks for public participation and identifies key factors impeding meaningful citizen involvement in governance. A qualitative, comparative case study approach reveals that while both countries have established comprehensive legal frameworks and mechanisms to promote public participation, reality often falls short of these aspirations. The study identifies several common barriers to effective citizen engagement: limited capacity of local authorities, information asymmetry, cultural barriers, the legacy of centralized governance, the digital divide, challenges in the decentralization process, political interference, poverty and illiteracy, persistence of patronage networks, and lack of effective accountability mechanisms. These factors collectively create a substantial gap between formal mandates for public participation and on-the-ground realities in rural areas. The research concludes with recommendations for policy reforms and institutional changes to enhance the participatory capacity of rural local governments, contributing to the broader discourse on decentralization and local governance in developing countries.
References
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68. Wanjiru, R., & Rampa, F. (2021). Decentralization and the political economy of local governance in Kenya. ECDPM Discussion Paper, 302.
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2. Akin, J., Hutchinson, P., & Strumpf, K. (2005). Decentralisation and public services: the case of immunization. Social Science & Medicine, 59(7), 1355-1373.
3. Arnstein, S. R. (1969). A ladder of citizen participation. Journal of the American Institute of planners, 35(4), 216-224.
4. Asiimwe, D., & Musisi, N. (2007). Decentralisation and transformation of governance in Uganda. Fountain Publishers.
5. Bainomugisha, A., Kiberu, F., Mbabazi, J., & Bogere, G. (2020). Enhancing citizen participation in local government decision-making processes: lessons from the Global South. Development in Practice, 30(1), 77-89.
6. Barasa, T. (2019). The Contribution of Non-State Actors to Inclusive Public Policy Process in Kenya (Doctoral dissertation).
7. Cheeseman, N., Kanyinga, K., & Lynch, G. (Eds.). (2020). The oxford handbook of Kenyan politics. Oxford University Press.
8. Constitution of Kenya. (2010). National Council for Law Reporting. Nairobi, Kenya.
9. Crawford, G., & Hartmann, C. (Eds.). (2008). Decentralisation in Africa: A pathway out of poverty and conflict? Amsterdam University Press.
10. Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2016). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Sage publications.
11. Crook, R. C., & Manor, J. (1998). Democracy and decentralisation in South Asia and West Africa: Participation, accountability and performance. Cambridge University Press.
12. Devas, N., & Grant, U. (2003). Local government decision‐making—citizen participation and local accountability: some evidence from Kenya and Uganda. Public Administration and Development: The International Journal of Management Research and Practice, 23(4), 307-316.
13. Fung, A. (2003). Thinking about Empowered Participatory Governance Archon Fung and Erik Olin Wright. Deepening democracy: Institutional innovations in empowered participatory governance, 4(3).
14. Fung, A. (2006). Varieties of participation in complex governance. Public administration review, 66, 66-75.
15. Gaventa, J. (2004). Strengthening participatory approaches to local governance: Learning the lessons from abroad. Nat'l Civic Rev., 93, 16.
16. Gaventa, J., & Barrett, G. (2012). Mapping the outcomes of citizen engagement. World development, 40(12), 2399-2410.
17. Ghai, Y. (1973). Decentralization and development in Kenya. The Journal of Modern African Studies, 11(2), 313-324.
18. Ghai, Y. P. (2011). Kenya's constitution: an instrument for change. Katiba Institute, Nairobi.
19. Ghai, Y., & Cottrell, J. (2011). Kenya's Constitution: An instrument for change. Nairobi: Katiba Institute.
20. Golooba-Mutebi, F. (2008). Politics and local government in Uganda. In Foundations for local governance: decentralization in comparative perspective (pp. 137-164). Heidelberg: Physica-Verlag HD.
21. Government of Uganda. (2013). The Barazas Initiative: Enhancing Public Accountability through Citizens' Engagement. Office of the Prime Minister.
22. Green, E. (2018). Decentralization and development in contemporary Uganda. In Decentralization, Democracy, and Development in Africa (pp. 82-100). Routledge.
23. Hyden, G., & Court, J. (2002). Governance and development. World Governance Survey Discussion Paper 1. United Nations University.
24. Kameri-Mbote, P., & Kabira, N. (2023). Gender equality and climate change in plural legal contexts: A critical analysis of Kenya's law and policy framework. In Feminist Frontiers in Climate Justice (pp. 165-187). Edward Elgar Publishing.
25. Kanyinga, K. (2016). Devolution and the new politics of development in Kenya. African Studies Review, 59(3), 155-167.
26. Kasozi-Mulindwa, S. (2013). The process and outcomes of participatory budgeting in a decentralised local government framework: a case in Uganda (Doctoral dissertation, University of Birmingham).
27. Kodero, C. U. (2020). Uganda: The Dynamics of Neoliberal Transformation. African Studies Quarterly, 19(1), 134-136.
28. Kontinen, T., & Ndidde, A. N. (2023). Southern civil society organizations as practical hybrids: Dealing with legitimacy in a Ugandan gender advocacy organization. In Reimagining Civil Society Collaborations in Development (pp. 99-113). Routledge.
29. Manyak, T. G., & Katono, I. W. (2011). Impact of multiparty politics on local government in Uganda. African Conflict and Peace Building Review, 1(1), 8-38.
30. Mati, J. M. (2013). Antinomies in the struggle for the right to public participation in Kenya. Journal of Civil Society, 9(2), 198-217.
31. Mbate, M. (2017). Decentralisation, governance and accountability: Theory and evidence. Journal of African Democracy and Development, 1(2), 1-16.
32. Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2015). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. John Wiley & Sons.
33. Ministry of ICT and National Guidance. (2018). Government Citizen Interaction Centre (GCIC) Annual Report. Kampala, Uganda.
34. Muhumuza, W. (2008). Pitfalls of decentralization reforms in transitional societies: the case of Uganda local government system. Africa Development, 33(4).
35. Namara, R. B., Karyeija, G. K., & Mubangizi, B. C. (2015). Network governance and capacity of local governments to deliver LED in Uganda. Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance, (18), 82-107.
36. Ngunjiri, M. W. (2023). Citizen participation in local governance in Africa: A selection of case studies. International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA).
37. Nyabola, N. (2018). Digital democracy, analogue politics: How the Internet era is transforming politics in Kenya. Bloomsbury Publishing.
38. Nyabola, N. (2018a). Kenyan feminisms in the digital age. Women's Studies Quarterly, 46(3 & 4), 261-272.
39. Nyanjom, O. (2011). Devolution in Kenya's new Constitution. Society for International Development, 54(1), 31-37.
40. Ojambo, H. (2012). Decentralisation in Africa: a critical review of Uganda's experience: conference paper. Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal, 15(2), 69-88.
41. Okello, D. O., Bwisa, H. M., & Kihoro, J. M. (2019). Determinants of public participation in county governments in Kenya. International Journal of Innovative Research and Development, 8(1), 128-134.
42. Okello, D., Bonyo, J., Otieno, R., & Akoth, C. (2019). Factors influencing public participation in county budgeting process in Kenya. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 3(11), 298-305.
43. Olowu, D., & Wunsch, J. S. (2004). Local governance in Africa: The challenges of democratic decentralization. Lynne Rienner Publishers.
44. Olum, Y. (2014). Decentralisation in developing countries: preconditions for successful implementation. Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance, (15), 23-38.
45. Omweri, F.S. (2024a). The Constitutional Eschatology of Decentralization in Kenya: Exploring Federalism's Role in Shaping the Future of Devolution and Regional Autonomy. International Journal of Innovative Scientific Research, 2(3), 37-67.
46. Omweri, F.S. (2024b). Youth-Led Policy Advocacy in Africa: A Qualitative Analysis of Generation Z’s Mobilization Efforts against Fiscal Legislation in Kenya and its Implications for Democratic Governance in the Continent. International Journal of Innovative Scientific Research, 2(3), 1-22.
47. Omweri, F.S. (2024c). A Systematic Literature Review of E-Government Implementation in Developing Countries: Examining Urban-Rural Disparities, Institutional Capacity, and Socio-Cultural Factors in the Context of Local Governance and Progress towards SDG 16.6. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 8(8), 1173-1199.
48. Osaghae, E. E. (2007). Fragile states. Development in Practice, 17(4-5), 691-699.
49. Patton, M. Q. (2014). Qualitative research & evaluation methods: Integrating theory and practice. Sage publications.
50. Reinikka, R., & Svensson, J. (2005). Fighting corruption to improve schooling: Evidence from a newspaper campaign in Uganda. Journal of the European economic association, 3(2-3), 259-267.
51. Republic of Kenya. (2016). Public Participation Act. Nairobi: Government Printer.
52. Republic of Uganda. (1997). Local Government Act. Kampala: Government Printer.
53. Rhodes, R. A. W. (1996). The new governance: governing without government. Political studies, 44(4), 652-667.
54. Romeo, L. G. (2003). The role of external assistance in supporting decentralisation reform. Public Administration and Development: The International Journal of Management Research and Practice, 23(1), 89-96.
55. Rondinelli, D. A., Nellis, J. R., & Cheema, G. S. (1983). Decentralization in developing countries: A review of recent experience. World Bank staff working papers, 581.
56. Rwigi, E. K. (2018). The Effect of Participatory Budgeting on Healthcare Services in Makueni Sub County (Doctoral dissertation, university of Nairobi).
57. Smoke, P. (2003). Decentralisation in Africa: goals, dimensions, myths and challenges. Public Administration and Development, 23(1), 7-16.
58. Ssebwana, A. K., & Bainomugisha, E. (2020). A Secure Context-aware Content Sharing Kiosk for Mobile Devices in Low-Resourced Environments. SAIEE Africa Research Journal, 111(3), 102-110.
59. Stake, R. E. (2013). Multiple case study analysis. Guilford press.
60. Steiner, S.(2006) : Decentralisation in Uganda: Exploring the Constraints for Poverty Reduction, GIGA Working Papers, No. 31, German Institute of Global and Area Studies (GIGA), Hamburg.
61. Stoker, G. (1998). Governance as theory: five propositions. International social science journal, 50(155), 17-28.
62. Tolzenberg, P., & Wampler, B. (2018). Participatory budgeting. In Handbook on participatory governance (pp. 291-314). Edward Elgar Publishing.
63. Touchton, M., McNulty, S., & Wampler, B. (2023). Participatory budgeting and community development: A global perspective. American Behavioral Scientist, 67(4), 520-536.
64. Tumushabe, G. W., Muyomba, L., Ssemakula, E. G., & Muhumuza, T. (2013). Uganda local government councils scorecard 2012/13: the big service delivery divide. Kampala: Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment.
65. Tumushabe, G., Muyomba-Tamale, L., Ssemakula, E., & Lukwago, D. (2010). Uganda local government councils score card report 2008/09. Kampala, Uganda: ACODE.
66. Uganda Youth Network. (2016). Youth participation in national and local development processes in Uganda. Kampala, Uganda.
67. Wamoto, F. O. (2015). E-government Implementation in Kenya, an evaluation of Factors hindering or promoting e-government successful implementation. International Journal of Computer Applications Technology and Research, 4(12), 906-915.
68. Wanjiru, R., & Rampa, F. (2021). Decentralization and the political economy of local governance in Kenya. ECDPM Discussion Paper, 302.
69. Whitfield, L. (Ed.). (2009). The politics of aid: African strategies for dealing with donors. Oxford University Press, USA.
70. Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods (6th ed.). Sage Publications.
Authors
[1]
“Governing without Citizens? A Comparative Analysis of Rural Local Governments’ Capacity for Participatory Governance in Kenya and Uganda”, Soc. sci. humanities j., vol. 8, no. 09, pp. 4920–4936, Sep. 2024, doi: 10.18535/sshj.v8i09.1312.
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