The Coast Civil Society Network for Human Rights (CSNHR) has requested the Mombasa County Assembly to reconsider the allegedly flawed public participation process regarding the development of the 2025/2026 county budget.
The petition, presented to the Assembly, cited systemic flaws, exclusion, and procedural irregularities during public forums across sub-counties. The network, which includes civil society groups, religious organizations, and non-state actors, argued that the process fell short of constitutional and legal standards.
Speaking after submitting the petition, CSNHR Chairperson Hezekiah Adika said the organization’s concerns were rooted in repeated failures by the county to conduct open and inclusive participation, as enshrined in the constitution.
“Public participation cannot be treated as a mere formality. It must be inclusive, timely, and meaningful. What we witnessed during the 2025/2026 budget process was a breach of public trust,” Adika said.
The petition outlined several grounds, including improper timing of the Annual Development Plan forums, failure to hold adequate consultative meetings, and the absence of the governor’s State of the County Address since 2022, as required by law.
Furthermore, CSNHR noted that public forums were poorly organized, inadequately publicized, and often lacked budget documents and county officials, limiting citizens’ ability to provide informed input.
The group argued that continued disregard for genuine citizen involvement risked eroding confidence in devolution. “If the public is not truly involved in how their taxes are spent, then we are weakening the foundation of devolution,” Adika stated.
The petition drew attention to constitutional provisions mandating public participation, including Article 10(2)(a) on national values, Article 174(c) on devolution, and Article 201(a) on financial accountability.
It also cited Section 115 of the County Governments Act and Section 125 of the Public Finance Management Act, which make public involvement in county planning and budgeting mandatory.
Among its prayers, the Network urged the Assembly to acknowledge and rectify what it termed as defective public participation in the 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 budget processes and to enforce lawful procedures in line with the Constitution and relevant legislation.
It also called for citizen involvement at all stages of budget-making, including the Annual Development Plan, the County Budget Review and Outlook Paper, the County Fiscal Strategy Paper, budget estimates, supplementary budgets, and any amendments.
The petition also called for the implementation of the Mombasa County Village Administration Act, 2024, within 90 days, and the establishment of an internal audit unit within 30 days, as recommended by the Auditor General.
In addition, the Network asked the Assembly to allocate resources for the live transmission of proceedings and ensure accessibility for Persons with Disabilities, to strengthen civic education on budget processes, and to compel the Governor to deliver a State of the County Address within 30 days of the petition hearing and annually thereafter.
By Sitati Reagan and Joyce Hadrine
