Contribution of the devolved governance on social integration in the society: A case study of Mathare sub -County , Nairobi county

Abstract

The constitution of Kenya in Article 174 (b) presents devolution as an avenue of promoting unity and diversity. The study, therefore, sought to determine the contribution of devolved government institutions on social integration. The objectives of the study were to explore the measures being undertaken by the devolved governance institutions in addressing social integration, establish the extent to which existing laws, policies, and norms are supporting social inclusion and the successes so far achieved in advancing social integration. The study was guided by the functionalism theory of conflict, participatory governance theory, and the elite theories. The research adopted a case study design. The study targeted women leaders, youths, community elders, Members of County Assembly (MCAs), and government officials from the 5 Mathare Sub-County wards. Out of the target population of 1078 people, the researcher sampled 291 respondents to participate in the study. Members of the general public were randomly selected to participate in the study. In contrast, Members of County Assembly (MCAs) and officials from the department of youth, gender, and social services were purposively selected. Both questionnaires and interview guides were used to collect data from the respondents. Since the study collected both quantitative and qualitative data, the researcher used descriptive techniques to analyze the collected data. The quantitative findings were presented in the form of tables and charts characterized by frequencies and percentages. The qualitative data from open-ended questions and interview guides were categorized in themes and analyzed using content analysis following research objectives and reported in narrative form. The study found out that through public gatherings (83.2%), members of the public were able to participate in the decision-making process and had an opportunity to question their local leaders regarding County governance thus enhancing transparency and accountability. Devolution has contributed to the increase in the employment of women (82%), the youth (71%), the disabled (65%) and ethnic inclusivity (63%). Devolution has led to zoning areas at the grassroots level which has enabled community-based organizations and County government to engage with the ordinary citizens resulting to more socio-economic development in the Sub-County. Nairobi County government has an Act of parliament that addresses matters of cultural heritage in the County (Nairobi City County Cultural Heritage Act (No. 9, 2017). The study recommended that the County government, in collaboration with the national government, should fully implement Nyumba kumi initiative to man the communities in Mathare Sub-County and protect the residents from crime, radicalization and above all to bring communities together. The government should encourage local participation in County affairs. The local involvement in County matters would increase level of social integration and would also allow for the major welfare issues in the County be addressed. The findings can be used by researchers to fill the literature gap in research in this area and might prompt `other researchers to undertake similar studies in other levels of governance. The findings can be used to inform the policy makers and the government to seek methods of guarding against conflicts at the grassroots level.