Mombasa: The Coast Civil Society Network for Human Rights (CSNHR) has formally requested the Mombasa County Assembly to reconsider what they describe as a flawed public participation process in the development of the 2025/2026 county budget.
According to Kenya News Agency, the petition, presented to the Assembly, highlighted systemic issues, exclusion, and procedural irregularities in public forums across sub-counties. The network, comprising civil society groups, religious organizations, and non-state actors, contended that the process did not meet constitutional and legal requirements.
CSNHR Chairperson Hezekiah Adika, speaking after the petition submission, emphasized their concerns stemmed from recurring failures by the county to ensure open and inclusive participation as outlined in the constitution. 'Public participation cannot be treated as a mere formality. It must be inclusive, timely, and meaningful. What we witnessed during the 2025/2026 budget process was a breach of public trust,' Adika asserted.
The petition identified several issues, including improper timing of the Annual Development Plan forums, inadequate consultative meetings, and the lack of a governor's State of the County Address since 2022, a legal requirement. Furthermore, CSNHR pointed out that the organization of public forums was poor, publicity was insufficient, and often lacked necessary budget documents and county officials, hindering citizens' ability to provide informed input.
The group warned that ignoring genuine citizen involvement could undermine confidence in devolution. 'If the public is not truly involved in how their taxes are spent, then we are weakening the foundation of devolution,' Adika stated.
The petition referenced constitutional mandates for public participation, such as Article 10(2)(a) on national values, Article 174(c) on devolution, and Article 201(a) on financial accountability. It also cited Section 115 of the County Governments Act and Section 125 of the Public Finance Management Act, which require public involvement in county planning and budgeting.
Among its appeals, the Network urged the Assembly to recognize and correct what it described as defective public participation in the 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 budget processes and to enforce procedures in accordance with the Constitution and relevant laws. It also advocated for citizen involvement at all stages of budget-making, including the Annual Development Plan, the County Budget Review and Outlook Paper, the County Fiscal Strategy Paper, budget estimates, supplementary budgets, and any amendments.
The petition further called for the implementation of the Mombasa County Village Administration Act, 2024, within 90 days, and the establishment of an internal audit unit within 30 days, as recommended by the Auditor General. Additionally, the Network requested the Assembly to allocate resources for live transmission of proceedings and ensure accessibility for Persons with Disabilities, enhance civic education on budget processes, and compel the Governor to present a State of the County Address within 30 days of the petition hearing and annually thereafter.