Mobilising support example:
Access to Information Policy Enactment in Kisumu County

Problem analysis

In 2023, SUTO partnered with Change the Game Academy Alliance member KCDF through the Access to Information Policy Development project. 

“We learned about KCDF through other partners in Kisumu County and developed an interest in learning more about their work, as they were also supporting community-based organisations in governance and policy. In 2023, we successfully applied for a grant from KCDF, as the call for proposals aligned well with our approach to mitigating access to information gaps,” elaborated Annette Obat, Programme Officer at SUTO. 

The Access to Information bill was first introduced in the Kisumu County Assembly in 2014. However, during the initial phase of a governance and policy project, SUTO realised that the bill did not successfully undergo the legislative process of the first, second, and third readings as it stalled in the second reading and was never enacted or assented to by the governor. Upon this realisation, and after working closely with the County Assembly, County Attorney, and the Executive, they conducted an archival review that confirmed this fact. 

Solution analysis

“We reported back to KCDF that the Act was not in effect, and we proposed to assist the county government in drafting a new policy and a bill. The rationale for focusing on both documents stems from the fact that legislative procedures typically recommend that a policy be in place before an Act is developed. Our approach, therefore, was to tackle both the policy and the Act concurrently. However, when it came time to present them before the County Assembly, we prioritised the policy because the policy is tabled first before the bill,” Mr. Michael further explained. 

Stakeholder analysis

Which stakeholders did you identify as neutral and how did you mobilise them?

SUTO formed a technical working group and held several multi-stakeholder forums to review the policy. “Through these efforts, we developed a zero-draft bill and policy, and with the second grant, we convened various multi-stakeholder meetings to refine the documents. Now, the policy has been published and is ready for public participation. We have also presented it to the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee, which has expressed strong support for the process. Our next step is to present the bill to the committee, keeping them informed and engaged throughout the process to sustain their goodwill and support,” Mr. Michael highlighted. 

Short description of the organisation implementing the action/campaign

Step Up Together (SUTO) was established in 2019 by a group of young people in Kisumu, Kenya, to address inequalities faced by the youth and other marginalised groups due to limited access to basic resources and information. The organisation was officially registered in 2020 and focuses on three thematic areas: good governance and public policy, gender mainstreaming, and economic empowerment of women and youth. Their vision is to create an equal and inclusive society where women and youths have access to and control over productive resources. 

Action period

2023-2024

Action results

The Access to Information Policy 2024 and the Access to Information Bill 2024 draft are now available on the county website. The project has also empowered budget champions who work closely with local administrators to increase youth and women’s participation in public budget discussions. 

Follow up

SUTO’s goal is not just the enactment of the policy and bill but also to ensure these documents are not shelved and forgotten, as is often the case with many policies. They are committed to a thorough dissemination process and conducting awareness campaigns so that both citizens and service providers understand the provisions of the law and how to apply them. 

This is critical because the Access to Information Law is a vital enabler of effective public participation. SUTO also aims to train civil servants on the law’s provisions to prevent any barriers to its implementation, whether due to ignorance or lack of resources.