The County Assemblies Forum (CAF) has entered a four-year collaboration with the civil society organization Human Rights Agenda (Huria) to improve accountability and public petition handling in Kenya's six coastal counties.

This partnership follows a baseline study by Huria that revealed significant gaps in how county assemblies receive, process, and respond to public petitions, highlighting challenges in citizen access to devolved governance.

Focus Areas of the Partnership

  • Enhancing public participation and grievance mechanisms
  • Strengthening oversight roles of county assemblies
  • Improving service delivery through devolved governments

The initiative will engage county assembly officials—including Speakers, Clerks, and legal officers—from the Coast region to identify and implement improvements in petition management and citizen engagement.

Yusuf Lule, Huria's Executive Director, explained that the programme, named Restore, aims to rebuild trust between citizens and county institutions by addressing accountability gaps and promoting effective service delivery. He noted the rising demand for accountability, especially among young people, both in Kenya and globally.

Lule also highlighted that the partnership will collaborate with various state agencies such as the National Police Service, Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). A pilot shadow security governance report covering Mombasa, Kwale, and Lamu counties is planned to provide independent assessments alongside official reports.

Stakeholder Perspectives

Seth Mwatela, Chairperson of CAF and Speaker of Kwale County Assembly, welcomed the partnership, emphasizing its timely relevance ahead of upcoming elections. He encouraged young people to channel their political enthusiasm into voter participation to influence leadership and governance positively.

CAF Chief Executive Officer Lonah Losem stated that the collaboration will build institutional capacity and improve accountability systems within county assemblies, aiming to boost public confidence in devolved institutions.

This initiative is supported by the Embassy of the Netherlands and reflects a broader effort to strengthen democratic governance and citizen engagement at the county level.