Empowerment as a Tool in Public Participation and Socioeconomic Development
Abstract
The constitution of Kenya 2010 has given public participation prominence. NonState and State Actors acting in the interest of the public should be involved in
all public affairs. The 2010 Constitution of Kenya emphasises citizens’
participation. This background prompted this study, whose main objective was
to examine the effects of empowerment on socioeconomic development in
Kericho County. Participatory democratic theory guided this study. It targeted
550 employees working for the County Government of Kericho. Primary and
secondary data collected using interviews and semi-structured questionnaires
were key research tools. Enquiries of different types and surveying of facts about
phenomena were the pillar of the study hence descriptive research design was
deployed. A Target population of 224 officers and a sample of 144 was selected
using a stratified sampling technique. Information obtained was checked for
completeness, its clarity investigated, dressed and their organisation on the
research instruments and analysis followed. Measures of association and
descriptive statistics. The study used a a regression model to test the effect of
public participation on socioeconomic development. The outcome was
presented in the form of subjects such as tables. The finding indicated that the
county used public meetings, gatherings and Barraza to enhance empowerment.
The study found that equitable allocation of resources, self-help group funding
and training assist in public empowerment. Therefore, public empowerment had
a significant positive effect on socioeconomic development (P<0.05). This was
achieved through public-private, foreign, and national government collaboration
in projects. Empowerment programs done using public meetings had the lowest
positive significant effect on socioeconomic development (P<0.05); public
participation had a significant positive effect on the socioeconomic development
of the county government. The study recommends that the county should
employ sufficient researcher assistance as well as consider youth, women and
persons living with disability enterprise in 30% preference and reservation in
procurement.
URI
https://doi.org/10.37284/eajass.6.1.1263http://repository.mut.ac.ke:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/6971
