Citizen’s Participation in Promoting Sustainable Development A Critical Evaluation of Challenges and Opportunities With reference to Bungoma County, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this research study was to evaluate the challenges and opportunities of citizen’s participation in promoting sustainable development in Bungoma County, Kenya, since 1950. Citizen’s participation as a component of democracy is sacrosanct as it gives a blue print for exercise of people’s rights. A qualitative study approach was adopted that employed historical and descriptive designs. Purposive and quota sampling techniques were used to select respondents. Primary data was collected using archival sources, oral interviews, focus group discussions and qualitative questionnaires. Secondary data was gathered from books, journals, internet sources and newspapers. Content analysis approach, while using the interpretivist philosophy, was applied to analyse data that was presented thematically, under themes and sub-themes. Corroboration of multiple sources ensures validity. Findings revealed some weaknesses from the organizational structures, political interference, ineptness of civic empowerment and citizen apathy. However, opportunities included civic education awareness, civil society organizations and constitutional provisions for citizen participation. The research article concludes that people’s participation in sustainable development is achieved when we engage appropriate participatory organizational structures. The research article proposesthat the development agencies should establish proper participatory structures that embrace inclusivity of diverse social groups and capacity building through civic education.