Most political parties in Kenya face the challenge of aligning citizen priorities at the local level with their party development agendas. As such, often, citizens are unable to see their parties’ impact at the local branches level.

Localizing party agenda at the local branch levels is one way of making our political parties issue-driven and even more importantly strengthening branches by ensuring that they actively drive the local communities’ policy agenda through localization strategies.

The study tour to Demark (17th -26th August 2024) was organized  through a program of the Centre for Multiparty Democracy (CMD) and Danish Liberal Democracy Program(DLDP). DPLP brings together four Danish political parties – The Social Democratic Party, The Conservative Peoples Party, Green Left and The Liberal Party of Denmark.

This three-year project is called: “Citizen centered policy making and pursuance of the SDGs in Political Parties” and has the overall objective as:

  • Ensuring political parties’ policy formulation at national and county levels reflects citizens development priorities and concerns and relates to the SDGs.
  • County branches effectively advocate for the needs and concerns of constituencies, develop and offer solutions and link these to County and National policymaking and planning process.
  • National level leadership of political parties commit to support and actively engage with county branches
  • Sustainable platforms for multi-actor dialogue align community needs and policy priorities with the county and national policy agendas, including the SDG

The project involves the following Kenyan parties:

  • Kenya Union Party, KUP
  • Orange Democratic Movement, ODM
  • United Democratic Alliance, UDA
  • Devolution Empowerment Party, DEP

The project activities are mainly happing in four out of the 47 counties in Kenya:

  • Meru -Tharaka Nthi
  • Nairobi
  • Narok
  • West Pokot

Following the study tour, TSP has undertaken a very successful training of Youth Leaders from six Counties dubbed “Strengthening Young Leaders on Policy Localization Strategies” and is planning more activities based on the commitments made from the study tour.

 

From L: Annabel Njoki, Member of TSP’s Dispute Resolution Committee, Wambui Kimathi, CEO and David Nyaga, Member, Tharaka Nthi

From L: Pamela Inoti (CMD), Eng Alfred (Devolution Empowerment Party- DEP), Brian Mbogua, (UDA) and Wambui Kimathi (TSP)

From L: Veronica Waithera (DP), Wambui, Torome ODM), Annabel and Pamela