| dc.description.abstract | Globally, governments, researchers, and policy practitioners have advanced public participation as an important tool for democratic governance. In Africa, countries such as Kenya have recently embraced public participation at the center of decision-making, which is anchored in the Constitution of Kenya (CoK) 2010. In Kisumu County, studies conducted before enacting policies supporting public participation in 2015 show low and tokenistic public participation during the budgeting processes. Since then, the existence and usage of these policies have not come out clearly to illustrate their contribution to meaningful participation. This study aimed at assessing the knowledge, level, and barriers of public participation in the budget-making process in Kisumu County. Specifically, this study investigated the public's level of knowledge regarding public participation, examined the level of public participation in the budget process, and assessed barriers to public participation during the budget process. The study was guided by the deliberative democratic theory developed in the 1980s by John Rawls, Joseph Bessette, and Jurgen Habermas. The theory holds that a legitimate democratic decision must be preceded by candid and structured deliberations that are inclusive, legitimate, and follows a fair process. The study adopted a descriptive study design, combining both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The study population was 147,895 drawn from the five wards under study and the targeted county government officers in Kisumu County. The sample size of 396 respondents was derived from this base population using the Yamane formula. Purposive sampling was used to select Key Informants from the county governments, members of CBEF, and NGOs. A total of six Key Informants were interviewed. Stratified random sampling and purposive sampling were used to select the Wards, while systematic random sampling was used to pick the household respondents. Questionnaires, observation checklists, and interview guides were used as tools of data collection. Primary data was edited first then coded to translate question responses into specific categories. Data from surveys were transcribed, analyzed using descriptive statistics, and presented in frequencies, tables, charts, and graphs. Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis techniques by isolating recurring themes, corroborating with quotations, and reporting based on the objectives. The study findings revealed low level of knowledge on budget and public participation policies amongst the public at 122(30.81%), while the level of knowledge on the same policies was moderate amongst county officers. Findings showed that public participation in Kisumu County is low at 112 (28.3%) and falls short of effective and meaningful participation. The study further showed that even though both the public and the county government face challenges during the budget process, the public is affected the most. Based on the study findings, it is recommended that: investing in and developing robust and effective public participation and civic education framework and programs is critical in raising civic awareness and empowered population; robust and contextualized policy and public participation structures should be established and operationalized according to the needs and situation of the public and, county officers should be equipped with both knowledge on budget policies as well as soft skills for sustained participation. The findings in this study make a valuable contribution in improving the understanding and implementation of public participation and strengthening existing policies for more effective participatory budgeting in Kisumu County, Kenya. | en_US |
