Coast civil society slams Mombasa County for failing to implement Serikali za Mtaa Act
The Coast Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) said the law, passed in 2024 to establish structured governance at the grassroots, remains largely dormant despite clear implementation timelines.
Civil society groups at the Coast have criticised the Mombasa County Government for failing to operationalise the Serikali za Mtaa Act, months after it was enacted, accusing officials of ignoring legal obligations and transparency requirements.
The Coast Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) said the law, passed in 2024 to establish structured governance at the grassroots, remains largely dormant despite clear implementation timelines.
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“We are deeply concerned that the county is dragging its feet on a law that is critical to empowering local communities. All village-level structures must be set up as stipulated, and the deadlines are already known,” said CSO chairperson Zedekiah Adika.
Adika also faulted the county administration for failing to address compliance issues flagged by the Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) and for never delivering a comprehensive State of the County report.
“It is unacceptable that Mombasa has never presented a proper county address detailing what the government has achieved and how taxpayers’ money has been spent,” he added.
The CSOs further raised concerns about weak financial oversight, calling for stronger internal systems to curb misuse of public resources. “We cannot continue lamenting over theft of resources when there are no internal mechanisms to stop it,” Adika noted.
The groups also highlighted accessibility challenges faced by persons with disabilities (PWDs), citing the cramped and inaccessible county assembly gallery. They recommended that Mombasa follow the example of neighbouring counties by live-streaming assembly sessions to make proceedings more inclusive.
Human rights activist Harriet Muganda echoed the calls for transparency, urging that all supplementary budgets undergo public participation before approval.
She also demanded the immediate rollout of the Village Administration framework and pressed Governor Abdulswamad Nassir to deliver a State of the County Address within 30 days of any formal petition and annually thereafter.
The pressure from civil society comes amid growing public frustration over stalled governance reforms in Mombasa, where critics say the county’s failure to implement key legislation continues to undermine accountability and citizen participation.
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