VILLAGE
FOCUS
1.
INTRODUCTION
As Mwalimu Julius Nyerere said" …
development brings freedom; provided it is development by the people". For
the development by the people themselves to take place there should be strong
efforts to strengthen social and administrative structures below the District
levels and more so in the villages. At the village, there should be formed a
strong Village Governing Council (VGC). The villagers themselves, from time to
time elects committee members in the villages e.g. after every two years. The
elected Council chooses its secretariat, responsible for the day-to-day running
of the village affairs. The Council works through Village Development
Committees which is formed in line with day to day government ministries to
ensure community government partnership e.g. Village Health Committee
(partnership with health ministry).
It is in the villages where people know each other
by names and are bound by common values, needs and hopes .It is where they feel
a sense of belonging of unity and trust that leads to caring for each other .
It is in the village community where people shares responsibility for the well
being of the neighborhood. This therefore calls for a strong village
administrative authority to help the village opinion leaders come together to
share and discuss problems affecting their village; identify needs ,priorities
the needs ,examine the resources available ,and find possible solution. The Council
will encourage villagers to think. It will encourage villagers to make decisions.
It will encourage villagers to take action and solve problems.
2. PROBLEM BACKGROUND
The
concept of a village does not have real recognition in the planning and service
delivery systems in Kenya. The sub-location is often seen as the lowest unit
for development planning, but a sub location may be too big in terms of size,
population, and diversity of interest groups or communities. This raises the
need to define the lowest spatial unit of community organization, and how that
unit fits in the established planning processes. All communities, especially in
rural Kenya and in urban informal settlements, know their village boundaries.
One option would be to formalize the concept of village as understood in the
respective communities, with self-selected leaders rather than a downward
extension of official administration. Countries that have clearly defined
villages ( such as Uganda &Tanzania ) have expanded and consolidated community participation
using participatory techniques. Without a definition of a village grassroots
developers use a looser and amorphous concept of “community” which shouldn’t
be, this demands that the spatial definition is important for scaling up and
achieving an institutionalization of participatory processes.
3. CONSTITUTIONAL
BACKUP
Chapter Eleven of the
Constitution of Kenya notes the objects and principles of devolved government
as;
a)
To promote democratic and accountable
exercise of power
b)
To foster national unity by recognizing
diversity
c)
To give powers of self-governance to the
people and enhance the participation of the people in the exercise of powers of
the State and in making decisions affecting them
d)
To recognize the right of communities to
manage their own affairs and to further their development.
e)
To protect and promote the interests and
rights of minorities and marginalized communities.
f)
To promote social and economic development
and the provision of proximate, easily accessible services throughout Kenya
g)
To ensure equitable sharing of national and
local resources throughout Kenya
h)
To facilitate decentralization of state
organs, their functions and services from the capital of Kenya; and
i)
To enhance checks and balances and the
separation of powers.
The county Bill 2012
emphasizes the establishment of decentralized units at county, Sub County
(constituency) and the ward level. It notes that county legislation shall make further
provision as to structures, administration and operations of further units of
decentralization within the county, that administrative locations and sub
locations shall comprise units of further decentralization in each county
4. REASONS
FOR DECENTRALIZATION
The objectives of
decentralization in Kenya have been shaped by both economic and political imperatives.
At the economic level, decentralization entailed an effort to create
institutional mechanism for economic reform. At the political level, it was a
new response to new international pressures for more participatory development
process. Consequently, decentralization was intended to groups and civic
organizations and to increase the responsibility of communities to finance services
through local resources.
The decision to decentralize
is a pragmatic response to a shrinking central government budget and poor targeting
of programs that have left most of rural Kenya on the margins of development.
At the same time, decentralization conformed to the emerging development
principles of popular participation that was rekindled in the 1980s, mainly at
the behest of bilateral and multilateral donor agencies who were frustrated at
the government inadequate capacity to stem the tide of structural poverty that
was becoming deeply entrenched in the rural areas.
Kenya’s current economic
blueprint Vision 2030, proposes a democratic process aimed at decentralizing
decision-making and distributing resources equitably. It adopts the devolution
as “a shift in power, authority, resources and responsibilities from the center
to other lower levels of government”. Vision 2030 defines decentralization as
‘’any change in the organization of government which involves the transfer of
some powers from the national levels, or from one sub-national level to another
lower level”.
5.
VILLAGE
A village is herein defined
as the jurisdiction of a village Elder. A village comprises of a number of household
and families from different clans with an average population of 200 people. The
village Elder is the government’s grassroots administrator who assists the sub
chief at the sub location level. The Village Elders is thus the Key link
between the government and the villagers. Villagers thus share a particular
geographical area and not necessarily cultural or historical backgrounds. In
this concept all members of a village form the Village Constituent Assembly.
6.
7. FUCTIONS
OF VILLAGE STRUCTURES
VILLAGE CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY
This is composes all members
of a village under the jurisdiction of a village Elder. This is a geographical
area of members of a community of a number of households and families from
different clans. They participate in all development programs within the
village and elect all their leaders during annual general assembly
VILLAGE GOVERNING COUNCIL
This is the village leaders,
who sit regularly to set the development agenda of the village and deliberate
on issues that affect the constituents. They strategize and prepare the
development plan of the village in consultation with all interested partners
and within the village priorities. This comprises thirty members who are
elected after every two years of a maximum of two terms.
VILLAGE SECRETARIATE
This is the administrative
unit of the village. It collects analyses and records all the data related to
development within the village. It works on day to day basis; reporting to the
village governing council to ensure that all the community correspondence
efficiently reaches the right parties. Their daily work is based on the village
action plans prepared by the respective village development committees. The
secretariat includes the Village Chief Executive Officer, Village
Administrative Secretary and a Village Accountant.
VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE
Every key sector has a
Village Development Committee that works daily through a Village Action Plan
prepared by the respective VDC in consultation with community members. For
example, the Village Agricultural Committee will prepare a Village Agricultural
Action Plan. This means that all Agricultural Initiatives in the village must
be managed as projects with standard documentations. The Chairperson of a
particular VDC is a member of the Project Management Committee that sits in the
Governing Council to regularly report on projects progress. They compile the
village sector policies. Members of a village Development Committee must be at
least ten with not more than two thirds of the same gender.
VILLAGE THINK TANKS
These are members of a
village who have professional skills and experiences in different fields. They
thus act as advisors of the Village Governing Council. They connect the village
with development partners and strengthen development programs in service
delivery. They advice on policy issues beyond the village and ensures that the
village plans with national and international development priorities. Village
think tanks can be as many as possible.
DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS
These are all parties who
hold development interest with the village. They can include civil society,
faith based organizations, community groups, international development
partners, companies, research organizations, individuals and government agencies.
They work directly with the Village Governing Council in prioritizing
development projects in the village. Development partners should be as many as
possible.
GOVERNMENT
The government trough the
civil servants are key partners of the village organization. They work closely
with the Village Governing Council in mainstreaming development priorities in
line with the national vision. All government ministries must have grassroots
programs.
8.
CONCLUSION
Village development and community
development planning encourages the participation of local people in analyzing
their problems and opportunities, and finding out solutions. This method
contributes to community development by improving capacity of local people and
strengthening the roles of commune leaders; promoting local participation and
ensuring transparency and equity among different community groups and
contributing to efficient and effective use of resources in community
development.
Strengthening village structures
ensures sector-wide, multi-stakeholder and integrated development that promote
citizen involvement in decision making and promotes rapid and massive
development with greater impact on the people.
We
need strong institutional framework at the village level to ensure resources
reach community at the grassroots based on their priority needs. Let us empower
the office of the village elder for prosperity and coordinated development.
