On the 14th of November, VNG International hosted a Validation Workshop in Nairobi, Kenya, for its new programme: Sustainable Development through improved Local Governance in Kenya (SDLG Kenya in short). The programme will focus on migration-related issues in the counties of Turkana and Garissa, the role local governments can play in service delivery for refugees and host communities in the area and the newly acclaimed municipalities and refugee camps Dadaab and Kakuma. This programme is linked to an interesting development: The Kenyan government will present its Shirika Plan in December at the Global Refugee Forum 2023 in Geneva. The Shirika Plan aims to lay out the transition by which both refugees and members of host communities would benefit from inclusion in national services and from programmes aimed at facilitating self-reliance, community-led economic development, and peaceful co-existence. In this plan there is a large role to play for local governments, as they are crucial to service delivery on the local level. Yet, the specifics are still to be worked out in more detail. This shift and focus on the role of municipalities is closely related to the work VNG-I does and aims to facilitate in the region.  

In order to kickstart the programme, a baseline study was conducted. A first discussion on its findings on a high-level, was attended by the Commissioner for the Department of Refugee Services, the Deputy Governor for Turkana County, the Speaker for the Garissa County Assembly, Director of Donor Relations for Garissa County Assembly, County Assembly Forum, members of the County Assemblies, National Department for Refugee Services and the Kenya School of Government. The goal of the workshop was to discuss the baseline survey, conducted by Dr. Abduba Mollu Ido and Grainne Kidakwa (RPM for SDLG Kenya) in the previous weeks. The attendees reiterated the importance of coordination of funding and programmes in the counties, the focus on host communities, the coordination of existing legislation and regulation and the accessibility of services such as access to water.

We are grateful for the presence of all the attendees and their valuable insights throughout the open and frank discussion on SDLG Kenya. The input from the session will be used to further the design of the programme before its official launch in February of 2024.