May-June-issue

Governance
Active participation by public helps
to maintain strong and healthy
communities. With the increased
demands for services and reduction
in fees and taxes, this co-production
model can be said to be an attractive
alternative to other models.
7. Public/Citizen as investor
&Administrator as broker:
This model is a value-centered
management approach which citizens
act as investors and shareholders in
the county, with the administrators
acting as the brokers who are vested
with the responsibility of investing on
behalf of the shareholders, to maximize
the return for the community and
individual investors. The relationship
is cooperative in nature and has
the capacity of promoting common
interests, cooperation and sharing
among citizens.
8. Public/Citizen as owner
&Administrator as employee:
This is an ownership model where
the public is in control while the
administrators are employees who
must comply and abide by the owners’
decisions. The public is then obligated
to play an active role in delivery of
county. Conflicts are bound to arise
in this relationship since one party
(administrators) is bound to fully
comply with the expectations of the
owner (public), which the administrator
may fail to.
So which Model is
Appropriate for the
Counties?
The diversity of the counties ranging
from social, economic, political
and cultural aspects is cannot be
overemphasized. Matters of public
concern raised are quite different in the
counties. This implies that the matter at
hand that requires public participation
need to be examined in the lens of the
public. This boils down to the proper
definition of the public in question.
This implies that the continuum of the
public from the subject to the owner and
that of the administrator from the ruler
to the employee may be applicable in
some cases. It is upon duty bearers then
to determine the matter in question and
evaluate the model to assume by taking
into account the heterogeneity nature
of the county and the citizens.
References
Bryson, J & and Carroll, A. (2007).
Public Participation Field Book
Constitution and Reform Education
Consortium (CRE-CO). (2015).
Model Policy Framework for Public
Participation in County Governments
Institute of Economic Affairs (2014).
Handbook on County Planning,
County Budgeting and Social
Accountability
Kathe, C. (2007). Citizen Participation:
Models and Methods, International
Journal of Public Administration
Kenya School of Government. (2015).
Overview of KSG- Working Papers:
Devolution and Public Participation
Matei, A & Cyprian, D.(2015)
Corporate Governance and public
sector entities Available online at www.
sciencedirect.com 2212-5671
Ministry of Devolution and Planning
(MODP). (2016). County Public
Participation Guidelines
Munene, W. (2016). Corporate
Governance Practices in County
Governments, A Presentation at Kenya
School of Government
Quick, K & Bryson, J. (2016). Theories
of Public participation in governance,
Handbook in Theories of Governance
The Institute for Social Accountability
(TISA) (2015).Public Participation
Framework in the County
Governments
kevinsukwe@gmail.com
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