- Last year, Governor Anyang Nyong’o directed ward administrators in the 35 wards to give proposals for members to these committees.
- Lobbyists in partnership with Sustainable Environmental Development Watch Network Kenya want vetting done through public participation.
Image: MAURICE ALAL
@alalmaurice
The vetting of ward climate change planning committees in Kisumu has been set.
The committees will oversee the utilisation of county climate change funds.
This comes as groups called for transparency in the vetting process of the committees in the 35 wards. The vetting will happen between December 5 and 15.
Last year, Governor Anyang Nyong’o directed ward administrators in the 35 wards to give proposals for members to these committees.
Lobbyists in partnership with Sustainable Environmental Development Watch Network Kenya want vetting done through public participation.
Magnam Environmental Network chairman Michael Nyaguti said public vetting will ensure committees are constituted by competent members with integrity.
The committee will be mandated with the implementation of climate change programmes.
“Residents bear the brunt of the impacts of climate change and therefore they must be fully engaged in mitigation and adaptation,” Nyaguti said.
He spoke during the workshop on the implementation of the 2 per cent of climate finance as a provision in the Kisumu County Climate Change Act 2022.
The meeting organised by Sustwach Kenya in collaboration with Hivos brought together various CSOs and stakeholders from the environment, water, climate change and natural resources.
Yatima community-based organisation officer Caroline Okendo said proper engagement will ensure residents are incorporated in planning, budgeting and financing climate change mitigation programs.
She advocated for community-driven committees for residents to fully participate in pushing for the adaptation of climate change.
Okendo said the committees prioritised and designed investments that will promote climate-resilient growth and adaptive livelihoods based on agreed criteria.
The 11 committee members with the ward administrator being an ex-official member will provide necessary linkages with county planning and development processes at the ward level.
Okendo said proper composition will ensure the ability of the communities to manage challenges arising from increasing climate variability and long-term change.
“We want views of the community from the village up-scaled to the sub ward level which has multiple villages put together and later to the ward level before it reaches the sub-county level,” she said.
Besides Kisumu's 2 per cent allocation, counties are expected to receive Sh2 billion from Financing Locally –Led Climate Action for climate change preparedness.
Counties will get Sh23 billion in the second phase, an initiative from the World Bank.
County climate change department officer Judith Wanjallah said the members are required to be vetted publicly to get views from the members fit in the committees.
They should be able to articulate issues of climate change.
Sustwach programme officer Ronny Cowino said locals should be involved in decision-making, compliments, strengthened participation and integration of climate change planning and budgeting.
He said the committees are crucial in strengthening adaptation planning by the provision of linkage between county government planning and local communities, which ought to benefit from the implementation of the plans.
They are mandated to conduct participatory assessments of their respective community vulnerability and resilience regarding climate change hazards and impacts.
“The assessments inform on which priority action will be undertaken to address climate change impacts through the approved Budget that was incorporated into the County Integrated Development Plans,” Cowino said.
The committee is mandated to undertake consultative meetings with communities together with relevant government planners, agencies, and local organizations.
They also conduct participatory livelihood and local economy resilience assessments.
“These assessments shall enable different groups, within the wider community, to identify what improves or undermines their ability to manage challenges arising from increasing climate variability and long-term change,” Cowino said.
He pointed said without proper laws governing public participation in climate change then the objective will not be achieved.
Cowino said public participation should be from the village level to ensure all views are incorporated.