Lokichar, 27th March 2026 (Public Communication and Media Relations)
The County Government, through the Department of Resource Mobilisation, Partnerships and Donor Coordination (RMPDC) in collaboration with VNG International, has concluded a two-day training for county officials aimed at strengthening integration mechanisms to support inclusive public participation and coordinated service delivery.
The training sought to enhance participants’ understanding of governance systems, participation frameworks and social accountability approaches that promote transparency, responsiveness and improved service delivery.
Speaking during the training, Deputy Director for Resource Mobilisation, Partnerships and Donor Coordination, Michael Aupe, emphasized the need for inclusive public participation, noting that engaging all segments of the community ensures that development priorities reflect the real needs of citizens.
“Inclusive public participation is key to ensuring that no one is left behind in the development process. When communities are actively engaged, it leads to more responsive and sustainable service delivery, not only in budgeting but also on policy making,” Aupe said.
Participants were taken through key county governance instruments, including the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP), Annual Development Plans (ADP) and budgeting processes, with emphasis on aligning them to inclusive and participatory approaches.
Wilson Ikamar, the Deputy Director for Resource Mobilisation and Partnerships from the County Assembly, highlighted the importance of embedding public participation within county planning and decision-making processes, adding that effective coordination among stakeholders is essential in avoiding duplication and ensuring efficient service delivery.
Social Accountability expert from VNG International, Tamrat Getahun, provided insights on social accountability principles and tools like Citizen report cards, community scorecards, public expenditure tracking surveys, social audits and participatory budgeting, which enables citizens to participate in monitoring service delivery and holding institutions accountable.
“Social accountability tools such as community scorecards, citizen report cards and social audits empower citizens to actively participate in monitoring service delivery and holding institutions accountable,” he noted.
The training also explored practical approaches to strengthening engagement between government and citizens through stakeholder mapping, feedback mechanisms and accountability systems.
The participants were drawn from County Assembly and various County Executive departments, including Health, Municipalities, Water, Social Protection, Finance and Economic Planning. Also the VNG International team present were Ekai Isaiah and Maria Ichor.
