Memorandum submitted by The Consumer Information
Network of Kenya
INTRODUCTION
The Consumer Information Network (CIN) is a
national not-for-profit consumers' organisation founded and registered
in Kenya in 1994 with a mission of empowering consumers. CIN's
main objective is to protect consumer rights and promote consumers'
responsibility. CIN is a full member of Consumers International
(CI), the world federation of consumers' organisation, registered
in the United Kingdom.
WHY THE
CONCERN
CIN is concerned that the DfID's draft country
assistance plan for Kenya for the period 2004-07 as published
in the website http://62.190.2.12/Pubs/files/cap_kenya_draft.pdf
makes very little reference to civil society organisations and
does not make any reference to consumers at all. We are concerned
because this document will be key to the activities of DfID in
Kenya and with the recognition that DfID is one of the major development
partners in Kenya. The activities of DfID in Kenya have a significant
effect on the development objectives of the country.
ISSUES
We herewith offer the following responses to
your questions as presented in document PN10a.2003-04 dated 4
February 2004.
Kenya has a high potential for achieving the
MDGs because of the following:
— the recent opening of democracy space;
— overall goodwill from development
partners that the country enjoys; and
— renewed hope and enthusiasm on the
people of Kenya by the new administration;
the achieving of the MDGs will however mainly also
depend on how the challenges highlighted below are addressed/managed
and the outcome of the ongoing constitutional (bomas) talks.
The main challenges that Kenya faces in meeting
the MDGs include the following:
— political bickering, terrorism threats;
— poverty, high social inequalities;
— incoherent and mainly supply side
biased policies;
— external pressures, mainly from globalisation
agents and bilateral partners;
— lack of effective civil society engagement,
particularly those working on issues of the poor and the vulnerable
members of the society;
— disease burden, mainly HIV/AIDS.
The Draft DfID Country Plan does not identify
accurately the challenges facing Kenya if it fails to include
the demand (consumer) side in its plan of action. Most of the
policy changes currently being implemented by the Kenya Government
with the support of bilateral and multilateral agencies/partners
have far reaching implications for the consumers. Policies such
as privatisation/private sector participation in utilities service
provision imply a major deviation from what the Kenyan public
are conventionally used to and hence require their effective engagement
in decision making, implementation, monitoring and evaluation
alongside education and awareness campaigns. This is pertinent
if the plans are to be successful.
February 2004
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