The Contribution Of Non-State Actors To Inclusive Public Policy Process In Kenya

ABSTRACT

Whereas non-state actors seem to have contributed towards removing obstacles to citizens’ engagement in public policy process, their actual role in public policy process remains unclear particularly, how they have opened public policy process to make it more inclusive. This study set out to investigate the contribution of non-state actors to making public policy process in Kenya inclusive. It examines how non-state actors have used their power, policy networks, policy learning and policy persuasion to be included in public policy processes. The study was conceptually supported by the concepts of power relations, network analysis, policy learning and persuasion. These concepts assisted in understanding and explaining a complex interplay of people, organisations and institutions with beliefs and experiences and how they communicate value judgements to produce policy decisions and delivery. The study employed mixed methods research design. Its population included five categories of organisations: the national and international non-governmental organisations, private sector membership organisations, multinational telecommunication corporations and donor organizations operating in Kenya. Stratified sampling was used to select 20 organisations while purposive sampling was used to select two senior managers from each organisation who were knowledgeable about public policy process. For quantitative aspect, the study population was all 20-government ministries with one permanent secretary from each ministry answering the questionnaire on behalf of the ministry. A total of 40 senior managers and 20 permanent secretaries were involved in the study. Data for qualitative survey was collected through an in-depth interview and supplementary information was obtained through document review and analysis. Data for quantitative survey was collected through administering a questionnaire to permanent secretaries. Data analysis method included triangulation, power analysis using power cube, simple descriptive statistics and network analysis using computer assisted software UCINET and SPSS. The study has found out that non-state actors have contributed a great deal to making public policy processes more inclusive, their efforts have been enabled by changes in institutional and governance frameworks for public policy process. They have claimed/created policy spaces for engagement with state actors, utilised their positive/countervailing power and formed strong formal policy networks supported by memorandum of understanding. However, they have not utilised much of policy learning and policy persuasion including discourse, argument and intercommunicative action. Therefore, public policy process in Kenya has not been closed; rather it has evolved incrementally to become more inclusive as non-state actors have challenged coercive power of the state actors by creating/claiming more policy spaces and mobilizing their countervailing power as well as moderately drawing on their policy networks and to a less extent, on policy learning and persuasion. Non-state actors could be more successful in making public policy process more inclusive thus, influencing public policy process by creating genuine partnerships and structured dialogue for meaningful and successful engagement between state and non-state actors; building mutual respect and trust between state actors and non-state actors through policy networks; enhancing policy learning capacity of non-state actors and facilitating the creation and transfer of knowledge for policy process; and improving skills in persuasive policy communication through training and research. This research has raised other important research questions that could be followed up particularly on the issues of policy networks, policy learning and persuasive communication.