The Local Government Sector in Kenya, comprising 175 elected Local Authorities (LAs), has been largely neglected for over twenty years with most service delivery responsibility and capacity progressively transferred to central government. This centralised system has proved ineffective in delivering pro-poor services and is constrained by inadequate accountability.

In response, this project seeks to support the Government of Kenya’s efforts to reduce poverty through support to the demand-side (empowerment of communities) in addition to the supply side (institution-building support to local government) and also aims to enhance the downward accountability of LAs by enriching the interaction between rural LAs (as service providers) and their communities (as clients).

As a member of an international consortium, WYGI is:

• Ensuring optimal utilisation of the Poverty Reduction Fund (PRF) (by providing technical assistance to the LAs for the implementation of projects financed by the PRF) and the Local Authority Transfer Fund (LATF) during the inception phase and the period of EU financial support;
• Enhancing the capacity of Ministry and Local Government staff in financial management, governance, participatory planning and service delivery;
• Providing support in policy development in rural poverty reduction and local economic development through improved local governance and development/implementation of a monitoring system;
• Assisting the procurement of vehicles, computers and office equipment.

The programme is designed to complement the ongoing Kenya Local Government Reform Programme, which is rebuilding the capacity of LAs as service providers following their long period of marginalisation in the local development process.