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The Case of Residents Associations and the Social Forum Process
What are some of the big picture challenges in the region from Ujamaa’s experience?
Bad leadership
The challenges that face the coastal region require more than fine words to resolve. Bad leadership, people who have reaped gains from the tragedy of the majority and corrupt political leadership that has been benefiting from the structures that are both exploitative and demeaning, has perpetuated the poverty in most parts of Kilifi and Kwale districts. Evidence abounds of community groups that have collapsed due to bad leadership, selfish ownership of processes and projects thus alienating  activist mama mwaringa at the kilifi social forum people from them. This has played the biggest role because people have lost trust in their leaders but have had no avenue to raise the matter. The few leaders available have been overwhelmed by responsibilities thus interfering with the smooth running of the offices they hold.
Religion
In some instances the people who belong to the different religions that is Muslims and Christians cannot even sit together, this makes it quite difficult to run a program or a change process.
Bad precedence set by other organizations
Most of these villagers have fallen folly to organizations that pretend to help people but end up conning them in dubious cash collections in the name of ascertaining projects.
Little information or lack of it altogether
From the information and data collected in the various locations one thing is for certain, information does not reach people at the grassroots. Communities lack vital information that could be used to make a positive difference in their lives. Information ranges from basic matters concerning their rights to heavier matters of policy. Some of the information regarding public funds or devolved funds where their voice and contribution is required is not privy to them. The situation has actually been made worse by the stand the government has taken in connection with the new constitution. If the current stale mate is anything to go by then this situation will end up depriving the common man a tool to better his life. Says a community member in one of the meetings, "the lack of information is a deliberate government move and well backed by the leaders who worry being in charge of an informed citizenry, reasons it jeopardizes their continued stay in power"From the information and data collected in the various locations one thing is for certain, information does not reach people at the grassroots. Communities lack vital information that could be used to make a positive difference in their lives. Information ranges from basic matters concerning their rights to heavier matters of policy. Some of the information regarding public funds or devolved funds where their voice and contribution is required is not privy to them. The situation has actually been made worse by the stand the government has taken in connection with the new constitution. If the current stale mate is anything to go by then this situation will end up depriving the common man a tool to better his life. Says a community member in one of the meetings, "the lack of information is a deliberate government move and well backed by the leaders who worry being in charge of an informed citizenry, reasons it jeopardizes their continued stay in power". It is an area that needs quick intervention, as information is power, and change can only come if the people are largely involved in the affairs that govern them. Education levels
Statistics found on the ground in all the locations reveal a lot of discrepancies in this very vital sector in the coast. The drop out rate is extremely high, the quality of education is very poor (teachers lack personal attachments) and schools are dilapidated therefore children do not enjoy their learning. The teachers are very few as compared with the number of pupils while the policies that guide this sector are not clear even to teachers. The general attitude towards education is basically negative and this has paid put a situation where literacy levels are extremely low. This has an overall negative effect on development processes.
What therefore are the hard lessons of the advocacy work in the coastal region of Kenya?
"Hunger has taken away our pride and turned us to beggars a situation that most leaders seem to be enjoying as they will always use it in their campaigns, the other day our Member of Parliament (MP) did say that we did not need the new constitution but food"
Mzee Mwarube Chengo of Bamba
Hunger is an annual ritual in Kilifi and Kwale. Why should hunger be so systemic 41 years after independence? One is bound to ask which is why most people find this phenomenon suspect. People have died in Sokoke not because they could not get to the furthest dispensary but due to lack of basic food. Water is such rare commodity that in some areas people have to walk for two /three hours to get twenty litres. Toilets are things that one does not come by that easily; in some regions like Kaptuku (Mariakani) there are no sanitation facilities, places like Bayamose the bushes just do more than providing resource for cooking fuels. Note; the government statistics indicate that only 59% of Kilifi people have access to safe sanitation. Relief food kills hunger for a while but in it grows stupid children who cannot think but hope for a ration tomorrow, the rations have killed the agricultural economy of the people of Kilifi and Kwale and has created beggars but it is shocking to note that the government receives in the exchequer Ksh 57 billion from the coast alone.
"The government promised us five hundred thousand jobs every year but so far nothing, I also understand from the news that the economy has performed very well, but who is this that is so blind to the sufferings that we are going through? I am told that there is a new police system to curb crime, even with this in place and no economic engagement for our youth the rate of crime will still remain where it is or worsen"
Tricky Nzaka Coordinator Kamkomani Forum
The rate of insecurity is so high, definitely a clear signal that unless the vexed issue of resource distribution is addressed the situation can only worsen. This is at least validated by the data collected from the field in the course of Ujamaa work. Unemployment rates are very high and the youth are so idle while life is so difficult-the result is the increase in drug abuse and engagement in criminal activities. The problem of insecurity is a war of the haves and have-nots, pitying people seeking to survive and the people who are already living comfortably. The inequitable distribution of resources is ripe for conflict; in this regard therefore some communities have been seeking redress that can lower tempers in situations that could have easily flared up. Thus the efforts from Sam Odero and Saul for their peace building initiatives are a fact that communities are talking loudly about. Father Babero of Likoni Catholic Parish, Sheikh Juma Ngao and Reverend Anyenda are a team that Sam and Saul both Ujamaa CMs have greatly referred to for guidance.
Some drawbacks
The process that Ujamaa has been implementing has undergone great change in perspective and has met with several drawbacks some surmountable others the opposite. Some bottlenecks have been mitigated while some that had deeper roots have persisted. These have however provided extremely invaluable lessons that will set the sights for future actions on the outcomes shared hereinabove.
Town set-ups: Due to the cosmopolitan nature of towns of Mariakani, Mtwapa, Kilifi Township, Tiwi and Kwale it was difficult to start holding meetings as no one claimed ownership to these places. This took work in the locations mentioned aback for quite a while but was overcome in most of the areas.
Due to the cosmopolitan nature of towns of Mariakani, Mtwapa, Kilifi Township, Tiwi and Kwale it was difficult to start holding meetings as no one claimed ownership to these places. This took work in the locations mentioned aback for quite a while but was overcome in most of the areas. Status Quo beneficiaries: in every system good or bad there must always be winners and losers, and more often than not the winners have entrenched mechanisms to sustain their survival and this they do at the expense of the most vulnerable in the society. In the very beginning they did put up resistance but when the "people baptized by the liberation fire" took on them their efforts have since waned.
in every system good or bad there must always be winners and losers, and more often than not the winners have entrenched mechanisms to sustain their survival and this they do at the expense of the most vulnerable in the society. In the very beginning they did put up resistance but when the "people baptized by the liberation fire" took on them their efforts have since waned. Funerals and Weather: these although not within human control are temporary positions and their recurrence should always depict a newer scenario. As it has happened in the past, the field workers were able to adjust their programs to suit in any of the eventualities and accommodate/contain the disruptions.
these although not within human control are temporary positions and their recurrence should always depict a newer scenario. As it has happened in the past, the field workers were able to adjust their programs to suit in any of the eventualities and accommodate/contain the disruptions. Relief food and other organizations: the coast is a place so full of hunger and relief food has just been one of the characteristics associated with most NGOs, which for Ujamaa was not the case. The situation is made worse by the presence of sister organizations that did go ahead to give the relief food in the areas that the Center was to do its work. A balancing act had to be found for the CMs to be able to accomplish their good ambitions for the people at the coast.
the coast is a place so full of hunger and relief food has just been one of the characteristics associated with most NGOs, which for Ujamaa was not the case. The situation is made worse by the presence of sister organizations that did go ahead to give the relief food in the areas that the Center was to do its work. A balancing act had to be found for the CMs to be able to accomplish their good ambitions for the people at the coast. History and Quorums: the people of the coast have lived in fear all their lives. They have also been victims of many unscrupulous organizations, the subsequent governments have never been of much help to them- the result of these, is that the community ignores all the meetings called by people they do not know.
the people of the coast have lived in fear all their lives. They have also been victims of many unscrupulous organizations, the subsequent governments have never been of much help to them- the result of these, is that the community ignores all the meetings called by people they do not know. Religious animosity: It is not surprising that religious animosity is so heightened at the coast, this has continued to be a problem interfering with the processes of the Center, in fact some people have called for separate meetings due to differences in religious affiliations. Roka and Kilifi township are very good examples. This is a more complex problem that will take long to overcome.
It is not surprising that religious animosity is so heightened at the coast, this has continued to be a problem interfering with the processes of the Center, in fact some people have called for separate meetings due to differences in religious affiliations. Roka and Kilifi township are very good examples. This is a more complex problem that will take long to overcome. Provincial administration: this has been the arm of government that gives effect to national legislation and fulfils the expectations of the central government to the people at the grassroots level. This has made them take orders from the center without question, a situation that continues to cause a lot of suffering in this country. With this kind of background these officers do display the worst of leaders when faced by an organization or community that is asking questions on human rights, social justice, equity issues or just tracing budgets. The result has been not surprisingly the harassment of citizens for their ideological affiliations. This happened in Sokoke, Mrima wa Ndege, Palakumi, Tiribe, Tiwi and Kambe.
this has been the arm of government that gives effect to national legislation and fulfils the expectations of the central government to the people at the grassroots level. This has made them take orders from the center without question, a situation that continues to cause a lot of suffering in this country. With this kind of background these officers do display the worst of leaders when faced by an organization or community that is asking questions on human rights, social justice, equity issues or just tracing budgets. The result has been not surprisingly the harassment of citizens for their ideological affiliations. This happened in Sokoke, Mrima wa Ndege, Palakumi, Tiribe, Tiwi and Kambe. Politicians: members of parliament and councilors have continued being an obstacle for the advancement of Ujamaa processes. They have uttered obscenities and acted foolish just to dissuade people from acquiring knowledge, they have continued threatening people with "dire consequences" whatever that means? Cases in point are in Mariakani, Kambe, Roka, Kilifi Township, Tiribe and Bandarasalama.
members of parliament and councilors have continued being an obstacle for the advancement of Ujamaa processes. They have uttered obscenities and acted foolish just to dissuade people from acquiring knowledge, they have continued threatening people with "dire consequences" whatever that means? Cases in point are in Mariakani, Kambe, Roka, Kilifi Township, Tiribe and Bandarasalama. Ethnicity: this is a problem so rooted that one does see it, so strong that one can actually touch it. This has contributed negatively when especially the few CMs who are not coastals go to the field. Leaders have always used this to steer people away from the real agenda.
this is a problem so rooted that one does see it, so strong that one can actually touch it. This has contributed negatively when especially the few CMs who are not coastals go to the field. Leaders have always used this to steer people away from the real agenda. It is these experiences that have informed the strategy to come up with institutional processes that would be founded squarely on alternative paradigms. Peoples’ institutions are representative and democratic but also relevant to respond and deal seriously with the issue of creating real and durable linkages with grassroots communities. The institutions are thus either issue based groups, resident associations or local social forums that at best are ideological and borrow from the world process that opposes neo-liberalism and the bad effects of globalisation. Some of the institutions will be formalised while some will remain broad based and unregistered.
Dormant village committees have been replaced with dynamic village forums
Residents associations have been formed to deal with wider societal problems beyond villages
The Coast farmer’s Forum has been launched to focus on farmers’ rights and space for advocacy
Alternative leadership is emerging from CMs, to a new breed of community leaders who have a knack or championing social justice issues and resolving community problems, to local authority/devolution experts in civil society
Ujamaa is hosting the campaign on quality, relevant basic education for all in the coast region and is a part of the coalition that seeks to promote the development of the child.
The coast social forum that has a Kilifi and Kwale chapter has also been launched
Other institutions that are proposed are an association of slab miners, aloevera producers association, kaya/community tourism association among other thematic forums
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