Kenya Design Report 2018-2020 – For Public Comment

In 2020, the Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM)The Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM) is OGP’s accountability arm and the main means of tracking progress in participating countries. The IRM provides independent, evidence-based, and objective ... published the design report for Kenya’s third action planAction plans are at the core of a government’s participation in OGP. They are the product of a co-creation process in which government and civil society jointly develop commitments to open governmen.... The report covers the action plan development process and the design of commitments.

In Kenya, the IRM researcher Linda Oduor-Noah’s findings are summarized below:

To develop Kenya’s third action plan, the country increased participation of CSOs, however, without deepening their involvement to share the decision-making power and increasing the ambitionAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, OGP commitments should “stretch government practice beyond its current baseline with respect to key areas of open government.” Ambition captures the po... of the plan. It contains three notable reforms to carry forward on addressing beneficial ownershipDisclosing beneficial owners — those who ultimately control or profit from a business — is essential for combating corruption, stemming illicit financial flows, and fighting tax evasion. Technical... More, open contractingA transparent procurement process, known as open contracting, increases competition, improves public service delivery, and ensures governments better value for their money. Technical specifications: C... More and public participationGiving citizens opportunities to provide input into government decision-making leads to more effective governance, improved public service delivery, and more equitable outcomes. Technical specificatio.... Moving forward, Kenya could consider expanding the scope of commitments to include other relevant national priorities like improving civic space.

The public comment period closed February 5, 2021.