Thesis:

Influence of governance structure on public participation in the devolved units in Kenya: study of Garissa County

Evidently, public participation provides a mechanism for collective decision-making between the public and relevant agencies in a framework that views the public as equal contributors rather than passive recipients of decisions. Reports from the Garissa County Assembly’s point out that despite the County Government of Garissa making intensive adverts in dailies and local stations about dates and venues of various public participation meetings, there has always been a low turnout by the residents in the forums. The purpose of this study is to analyze the influence of governance structure on public participation in the devolved units in Kenya using the case of Garissa County. The specific objectives of the study are to: examine the extent to which existing legislative policy framework, resources, communication channels and the County management structure influence public participation in Garissa County. The study was guided by the public choice theory and the public value theory. This study used descriptive survey and exploratory designs. The study was carried out in Garissa County with a target population of 163,305 registered voters. The sample size of the study was determined by the Krejci and Morgan sampling tables which gives 364 participants. The study employed purposive and clustered random sampling techniques. The study instruments included a questionnaire and an interview guide. The research instruments was pilot tested in one constituency in the neighboring Wajir County with 34 subjects. The reliability was examined through half-split method and Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient while validity was through expert judgment. Descriptive analysis was done through SPSS (Ver. 24) used to establish the frequency and percentage and means. Presentations was by use of tables and charts. Qualitative data was organized and analyzed thematically. The study results was of value to different stakeholders including the County Government of Garissa. The study found different contexts of legislation, resource allocation, communication channels and county management structures influencing public participation in the devolved units in Garissa County. The existing legislative policy framework was found to have little influence on public participation. The study found that resource allocation in was key in the promotion of public participation in the devolved units in Garissa County. However, there was little evidence of the resource allocation for public participation. The current study found that different communication channels were in place for promoting public participation in the devolved units in Garissa County. However, the communication channels had difference levels in appropriateness of use in promoting public participation in county governance. The findings are important in targeting strategies to promote public participation while contributing to the existing body of knowledge on public participation for scholars in governance.