By Nancy Kijana

Members of the public in Migori County have been challenged to come out and participate actively in the development projects at various levels in order to execute their rights as enshrined in the Constitution of Kenya 2010.

Addressing residents of Migori today during the launch of ‘successful Devolution through inclusive citizen participation’ Migori County Assembly Speaker, Hon. Gordon Ogola in a speech read on his behalf by the Member for Wasweta 1 hon. Hillary Maeri, said that one of the important aims of devolution is to promote the participation of the publics in the formulation and implementation of County public policy.

‘Participation of the members of the public is paramount if the devolution process is to succeed; he said adding that civic education launched today is aimed at bridging the gap that has existed of the public apathy toward development policies and other engagements’, he asserted.

This devolution project which has been funded by the European Union will be implemented in Migori County by Community Action on Rural Development (CARD), Concern worldwide and Migori County government.

Ogola also said that the mandate of the County Assembly Members (MCAs) including law making and oversight solely depend on the input from the members of the public in order to enhance service delivery towards the realization of transparency, accountability among other objectives of devolution.

Maeri urged his fellow members of Migori County Assembly to come out and support this civic education drive to enlighten their constituents.

In the function attended by the CEC public Service management, Sheila Ghati, who represented the Governor Okoth Obado, assured the members of the public that it is their responsibility to decide what they want their County government to do for them.

‘The Constitution of Kenya 2010 and the County Governments Acts 2012 gives the members of the public the authority to decide on the priority of projects they want their government to do for them in their areas’ she said.

The function was also attended by Executive Director of Community Action on Rural Development (CARD), Mr. Phillip Kajwang, Programme Director, Worldwide Concern Mr. Andy Fox who hailed the leadership of Migori County for partnering with them in this noble cause of citizen participation.