Provident Community Initiative

22/04/2026

17/04/2026

📊 From pre-budget conversations to public engagement

Provident Community Initiative honored the call by the County Government of Mombasa (Executive) to participate in public participation forums on the Draft FY 2026/2027 Programme-Based Budget, held on 14th March 2026 across all six sub-counties.

Building on earlier pre-budget engagements, and through a submitted memorandum, we raised key concerns from the draft budget:

• Budget narratives remain insufficient and do not fully meet PBB guidelines and the Public Finance Management Regulations, 2015.

• Personnel costs stand at 44% of the total budget, raising concerns about wage bill sustainability and limited fiscal space for development.

• Expenditure breakdowns remain limited, making it difficult to assess efficiency and spending priorities.

• Revenue projections are Kshs. 17.6 billion, with Kshs. 8.0 billion (46%) expected from own-source revenue. This appears overambitious, considering the highest collection to date is Kshs. 4.88 billion, raising concerns on feasibility and budget credibility.

• Health sector allocation stands at Kshs. 6.0 billion, but development spending remains low, with continued bias toward recurrent expenditure and weak absorption of development funds.

• Public Service, Youth, Gender, Sports & Social Services receives about Kshs. 1.0 billion, largely recurrent, with limited development investment.

These discussions highlight the need for a more balanced budget that prioritizes development, strengthens implementation, and responds to community realities.

Guided by our goal of strengthening grassroots voices in decision-making spaces for social change, we remain committed to meaningful public participation in budgeting processes.

17/04/2026

15/04/2026

Pre-budget conversations are key in helping citizens understand the budget process and take part in shaping it across all four stages.

Provident Community Initiative took part in a pre-budget dialogue in Mombasa on the draft County Programme-Based Budget (PBB) for FY 2026/2027, convened by HAKI YETU . Through facilitated sessions with young people, we created space for them to unpack the draft budget, assess key allocations, and raise the issues they see as most urgent in their communities.

Guided by our goal of strengthening the voices of grassroots communities in decision-making spaces for social change, we continue to support platforms where citizens, especially young people, can engage with budgets before they are finalized. This ensures public resources are shaped by real community needs.

15/04/2026

07/04/2026

Active citizenship is not a moment it is a responsibility we carry every day. 🇰🇪
As we look towards 2027, building a just, inclusive, and accountable democracy starts with each of us choosing truth over misinformation, unity over division, and participation over silence.

Let’s redefine citizenship.

01/04/2026

Provident Community Initiative was proud to participate in the recent public participation forum on the Public Participation Bill, 2025, in Mombasa County, adding our voice to a critical national conversation on how citizen engagement should be structured and protected was proud to participate in the recent public participation forum on the Public Participation Bill, 2025, in Mombasa County, adding our voice to a critical national conversation on how citizen engagement should be structured and protected,

Guided by Article 10 of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, public participation must be more than a procedural requirement; it must be meaningful, inclusive, and empowering. The proposed law presents an opportunity to strengthen this right, but only if it addresses the practical realities citizens face.

Our key submissions included:

🔹 Timely Notice:
Public participation processes must be communicated early enough (at least 14–21 days) to give citizens a fair chance to prepare, mobilize, and engage effectively.

🔹 Access to Information:
Relevant documents should be shared in advance (7–14 days prior) to ensure that participation is informed, constructive, and impactful—not symbolic.

🔹 Civic Education:
There is a need for sustained civic education to build citizens’ understanding, confidence, and ability to engage meaningfully in governance processes.

At Provident, we believe public participation is only meaningful when it is informed, inclusive, and intentional, where every voice has the opportunity not just to be heard, but to influence decisions.

We remain committed to strengthening citizen engagement and advancing governance systems that truly reflect the will and priorities of the people.

18/03/2026

🚨

At a time when is often reduced to a mere formality—lacking depth and genuine citizen focus—the question arises: 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁?

At Bajeti Hub, we have found that offer a powerful, high-impact model for enhancing public participation and elevating citizen engagement in Kenya.

This research documents our key learnings from implementing the model and provides valuable guidance for establishing an effective citizen engagement network.

Join us on 𝗧𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝟭𝟵𝘁𝗵, for a virtual conversation on citizen engagement in Kenya as we highlight model as a key driver for sustained and meaningful Citizen Engagement.

Research PLUS Africa UNICEF Kenya National Endowment for Democracy Tisa Kenya Mzalendo Institute of Public Finance Coast Regional Budget Hub -CRBH Nairobi Eastern Central Regional Budget Hub - NEC Hub Centre for Enhancing Democracy and Good Governance. CEDC Kenya Talk Global (BTG)

16/03/2026

Women have always been guardians of the Earth’s resources, and recognizing their leadership is essential to building a future where people and nature thrive together.— Wangari Maathai

13/03/2026

Strengthening Community Voices in Data Governance

On 10th–11th March 2026, Provident Community Initiative had the honour of participating in the Conference 2026, convened by Open Institute and Amnesty International Kenya in Nairobi.

The conference brought together policymakers, regulators, innovators, academics, civil society leaders, journalists, and development partners to reflect on a critical question: How can East Africa advance digital innovation while safeguarding rights, trust, and accountability in governance?

Under the theme “Navigating Duality in Data Governance: Innovation and Accountability in East Africa,” the conference explored the region’s digital crossroads, where rapid technological progress must be balanced with growing concerns around privacy, surveillance, power, exclusion, and data justice.

Provident Community Initiative was proud to contribute to a plenary session titled “Community Voices in Data Governance: A Case of the CSOs Data Leaders Fellowship.” Our Executive Director, Charles Njenga, joined fellow civil society leaders, County and KNBS Officials to share insights from Mombasa County on how grassroots organizations are using data to strengthen public participation, transparency, and accountability in governance.

Through initiatives inspired by the CSO Data Leaders Fellowship, Provident Community Initiative has been working to demystify data for communities, supporting citizens in understanding county budgets, demanding access to information, and using evidence to influence public decisions that affect their lives.

Participating in this regional dialogue reaffirmed an important lesson in our work. When data is timely, accessible, understandable, and responsibly governed, citizen engagement becomes more informed and impactful.

We look forward to continuing to bridge regional data governance conversations with county-level realities, ensuring that innovation moves hand in hand with accountability and that communities remain central to East Africa’s digital future.

12/03/2026