Govts urged to engage citizens in policy making

Engaging citizens in policy formulation could help alleviate poverty.

Speaking during an open forum at the Dusit D2 Boutique Hotel in Nairobi, Aspen Institute fellows said millions of shillings could be saved and spent in health, agriculture, education and value addition if policy makers engaged people from all levels.

Dr Thumbi Mwangi, a Kenyan Clinical Assistant Professor at the Washington State’s Paul G Allen School for Global Animal Health said time spent on research could be used more meaningfully if livestock keepers were directly engaged in seeking permanent solutions to problems they face.

“My father knew many years ago how to detect early signs of East Coast Fever but after 12 years of university education, I joined a team of researchers working on a project to identify a lasting solution to the disease and that took six months.

“If we want to formulate the right policies and invest in the right programmes that impacts lives consult the people,” he said.

Kenya’s non-communicable diseases champion Ms Sitawa Wafula said every Kenyan has a role to play in the economy.

Zimbabwe’s scholar Dr Edward Mabaya called for deliberate policies that improve access to farm input subsidies saying Kenyans and the rest of Africans could best be assisted to grow food via improved agricultural practices thereby improving standard of living.

“I have learnt that families that were able to grow more food and sell more farm produce educated their children who were also healthy, but ignoring the plight of the hardworking poor only contributes to more poverty since the land they till becomes less fertile by the day,” he said.

Another nominee, Ms Anjali Sarker from Bangladesh called on Kenyans to provide equal opportunities for boys and girls saying discrimination only curb children’s ability to exploit their potential thereby denying families a source of new money and a better life.

She observed that fighting poverty must start with concerted efforts to enhance children enrolment in schools as well as easing any circumstances that lead to drop outs.

She said beliefs that discourage girls from excelling in schools must be fought by all so as to nurture an equal opportunity society that appreciates individual talents.

Dr Crystelle Wedi from DR Congo said Kenyans abroad must endevour to promote social programme back home by providing cash and speaking out to the world on present problems back home.

Aspen Institute also used the forum to launch the 2017 nominations for the New Voices Fellowship where development experts from Africa, Asia and Latin America are chosen and offered a year-long program of media support, training, research and writing under the guidance of experienced mentors and trainers.