The Kenya National Civil Society Centre (KNCSC) has faulted a directive issued by Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo calling on non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to align with the government’s Bottom-Up Transformation Agenda (BETA).
Development Diaries reports that Omollo had raised concerns over what he termed as the prevailing misalignment of international donor aid and management systems among NGOs and public benefits organisations (PBOs).
According to him, all NGOs and PBOs operating in the country must align their operations with President William Ruto’s BETA.
‘Our prime focus is on optimising the value of all projects and programs funded through international aid to ensure they complement our developmental plan outlined in the bottom-up agenda’, he said.
NGOs are now required to carry out projects in line with the six pillars: housing, health care, digital and creative economy, environment and climate change, and micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) economy initiatives outlined by the government.
But KNCSC, in its response, noted that the tenets that underpin the foundation of the civil society space in the country must be maintained.
Director of the group, Suba Churchill, said that independent organisations that pride themselves on fairness and neutrality cannot align themselves with a government.
It is paramount that the country’s civil society space remains independent to help check the government’s operations to ensure accountability and transparency.
Photo source: Raymond Omollo
