Kakamega Marks One Year in OGP With New Call Centre and Citizen Feedback Report
Chief Officer for Public Service Priscah Otipa said OGP membership dictates counties take measurable action, not just policy pronouncements.
The Governor of Kakamega, Fernandes Barasa. Photo/Courtesy
By Ruth Sang
The Kakamega County Government celebrates one year since it joined the Open Government Partnership, an initiative supported globally by governments with the objective of restoring citizen trust in government institutions through openness, accountability, and active public involvement.
The OGP brings together governments, civil society groups and the media to advance transparency, curb corruption and promote inclusive decision-making. To date, more than 75 countries, as well as more than 100 local governments around the world, have joined, committing to reforms like opening budget information, digitizing services, protecting whistleblowers and increasing access to public services. At the national level, Kenya is a member, while Kakamega, Nandi, Elgeyo Marakwet, Nairobi, Makueni and Kisii represent the country’s subnational participants.
To mark the milestone, Kakamega launched a new call centre and released the Sauti ya Wananchi OGP report-a comprehensive analysis of citizen perceptions pertaining to county governance. The Governor of Kakamega, Fernandes Barasa, reiterated during the occasion that his government was committed to consolidating transparency and accountability through the OGP framework.
“Without good governance, it is impossible to realize development,” Governor Barasa said in a speech read by Deputy Governor Ayub Savula. He applauded the commitment of Mzalendo Trust, Twaweza East Africa and the Network for Research and Governance for supporting the county’s governance reforms. “We do appreciate the research that produced the Sauti ya Mwananchi OGP report. It gives us a critical perspective of what residents think about our governance practices.”
Governor Barasa added that the new call centre was going to be a real-time communication link between the citizens and county departments, thereby enhancing responsiveness to complaints, feedback, and service delivery needs. “The call centre will enable more sustained conversations on development priorities beyond traditional public participation meetings,” he said.
The governor went further to announce plans for reviving community councils to deepen participation at the grassroots and implement ICT-driven reforms, digitising county records to reduce operational costs and enhance efficiency.
Chief Officer for Public Service Priscah Otipa said OGP membership dictates counties take measurable action, not just policy pronouncements. “Strong institutions are built not only through policies but also through systems that listen, respond and engage the public. The call centre is an important step in the transformation on how government interacts with citizens,” she added.
Anna Bwana, Executive Director of Twaweza East Africa, added that the launch comes at a time when many East Africans—especially the youths—are facing various economic, social and democratic challenges. “These challenges remind us that open, inclusive, and responsive governance is not a luxury; it is a necessity,” she said. Kakamega hopes to consolidate the wider trust of the public for citizen-centered governance with the new systems now in place, in its second year under the OGP framework.
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