Northern Kenya

Youth Kikao: Isiolo youth launch forum to monitor, promote transparency in governance

A section of Isiolo youth during the Youth Kikao forum at youth innovation centre in Isiolo town. (Photo/Waweru Wairimu)

By Waweru Wairimu | Sunday, June 30, 2024

The forum seeks to empower young people to hold the local elected leaders accountable for improved service delivery.

A section of Isiolo youth has launched a knowledge-sharing forum covering a range of pertinent issues affecting the local communities in efforts to empower young people to hold the local elected leaders accountable for improved service delivery.

Dubbed Youth Kikao, the platform allows youth from diverse backgrounds to share ideas and knowledge on leadership and governance, budgeting and policy formulation processes and social responsibility to enable them to monitor and gauge the performance of the leaders from an informed perspective.

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Wanjiru Mburu who is among the youth spearheading the physical sessions being held weekly at Isiolo Youth Innovation Centre said the idea was inspired by the recent anti-Finance Bill protests by Gen Zs and youth across the country.

"We have realised that we have power and can be listened to (by the leaders) when we are united. We want to ensure youth take part in county and national discourse and their views count," she said.

Enhancing members' knowledge and understanding of key issues, she said, would help in bridging the information gap that the majority of the leaders were riding on to exploit and discriminate against the masses.

Another youth Salad Tadicha said the discourse will prompt online and physical conversations with duty bearers which will highlight the existing problems across various sectors and share recommendations on how they should be addressed.

"We will also undertake monitoring of ongoing projects and share recommendations based on facts on the ground," he said.

A section of Isiolo youth during the Youth Kikao forum at youth innovation centre in Isiolo town. (Photo/Waweru Wairimu)

Tackling illiteracy

Wisdom Kizito said illiteracy remained a key barrier to youths holding elected leaders to account as the majority of them were ill-equipped for roles of each of the offices from MCA to Governor.

"With that information, they will be able to reprimand leaders for roles and duties assigned to their offices which will ease follow-up on vital issues affecting the county," he said.

The members, he said, will also be able to know how much has been allocated to every department, and track and push for policies and regulations that will promote accountability and transparency.

The forum will culminate in a network that will work closely with local Civil Societies and Organisations in pushing for change and improved service delivery by county and national government offices.

Climate and Gender advocate Virginia Wanjiru termed the forum as a step in the right direction, saying a lot has to be done to ensure residents access better services.

"There are a lot of gaps, especially on public participation which is a critical component of accountability and is among the areas we want to streamline to enable Mwananchi to share their views on a range of issues," she said.