The County Government of Vihiga, through the Directorate of Public Participation and Civic Engagement under the Department of Public Service Management and ICT, in partnership with TISA Kenya and Welthungerhilfe, convened a County Stakeholders Joint Review Meeting on the Draft Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) Policy and the proposed amendments to the Vihiga County Public Participation and Civic Engagement Act, 2020.
The forum, held at a Vihiga hotel, brought together county officials, legal experts and development partners to review policy provisions aimed at strengthening citizen engagement, accountability and responsiveness in county governance.
Speaking during the meeting, the County Executive Committee Member for Public Service Management and ICT, Dr. Nicholas Mwandihi, underscored the critical role of public participation in fostering transparent, inclusive and people-centred governance.
He noted that the proposed Grievance Redress Mechanism Policy will provide structured and accessible channels through which residents can submit complaints, provide feedback and seek redress on service delivery issues.
Dr. Mwandihi emphasized that strengthening public participation frameworks will enhance trust between citizens and government, while ensuring that development programmes are informed by the voices and priorities of the people.
The deliberations were guided by the provisions of the County Governments Act, 2012, particularly Section 91 on citizen participation and Sections 100 and 101 on civic education.
Participants reviewed the draft policy and proposed legislative amendments with a view to establishing stronger institutional mechanisms for public engagement and grievance handling.
The meeting featured presentations by Dennis Tongoi, Assistant Director of Public Participation and Civic Engagement, on the Draft GRM Policy, and the County Legal Officer, on the proposed amendments to the Public Participation and Civic Engagement Act, 2020.
Director of Public Participation and Civic Engagement, John Ong’onda, emphasized that the review process is intended to ensure that both the draft policy and the proposed amendments are inclusive, practical and responsive to the needs of Vihiga residents.
He noted that meaningful stakeholder engagement is essential in developing effective governance frameworks and urged participants to provide constructive input that will strengthen accountability, transparency and citizen involvement in county affairs.
Ong’onda added that the proposed Grievance Redress Mechanism will offer residents a formal avenue for raising concerns and obtaining timely feedback from government institutions, thereby improving service delivery and public confidence in county governance.
Also in attendance were Sheila Lyona, Program Lead at TISA Kenya, and Alexander Riithi, Head of Programs at TISA Kenya, who reaffirmed their organizations’ commitment to supporting initiatives that promote civic engagement and participatory governance.
The stakeholders’ review meeting marked a key milestone in the development of the GRM Policy and the review of the Vihiga County Public Participation and Civic Engagement Act, 2020, laying the foundation for enhanced transparency, accountability and meaningful citizen participation in the county’s decision-making processes.
By Kelly Barasa / Maureen Imbayi
