KEWOPA AND IPF HOLD SENSITIZATION FORUM ON BUDGET PROCESS IN KISUMU

The Kenya Women Parliamentary Association (KEWOPA), in collaboration with the Institute of Public Finance (IPF), recently held a sensitization forum in Kisumu aimed at demystifying the budget process for local communities. The forum, which brought together residents, local leaders, and representatives of civil society, sought to raise awareness about budgetary procedures and equip participants with the knowledge needed to engage in public finance management.

Kisumu Women Representative, Hon. Ruth Odinga, graced the event and delivered an empowering message, urging participants to immerse themselves in understanding budgetary processes to effectively advocate for their communities’ needs. She emphasized the importance of grassroots involvement in shaping county budgets and holding leaders accountable for equitable resource allocation.

“One of the biggest challenges we face is the budgeting process and incorporating gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) within the county framework,” Hon. Odinga remarked. She highlighted that a lack of awareness often leads to the underrepresentation of women and marginalized groups in county development agendas.

The forum also provided an opportunity for participants to express their views on the importance of inclusive budgeting. One of the participants, Mariam Abdalla, emphasized the need for gender considerations in all stages of budget planning, saying, “We need to ensure that our budgets, right from the planning stages, are gender-responsive.” This sentiment echoed the core objective of the forum — to mainstream gender perspectives into budgeting and public finance management to benefit all members of the community.

KEWOPA and IPF’s initiative is part of their ongoing efforts to enhance transparency and public participation in governance. By equipping local communities with the tools and knowledge necessary to actively engage in budget discussions, they hope to foster greater accountability and ensure that public resources are distributed equitably.

The event was met with positive feedback, with participants expressing a greater understanding of the budgetary process and a renewed commitment to engaging their leaders on issues of public finance. Continuous engagement and capacity-building at the grassroots level, participants noted, are key to ensuring that community needs are fully addressed within county budgets.