TITLE:
Efficacy of the Devolved System of Governance in Management of Land Use Conflicts in West Pokot County, Kenya
AUTHORS:
Andrew Nyongesa Mung’ale, Frank Khachina Matanga, Edmond Were
KEYWORDS:
Devolved System of Governance, National Government, County Government, Conflict Management, Land Use Conflicts in West Pokot County
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.9 No.3,
March
24,
2021
ABSTRACT: The
devolved system of governance radically transformed structures and institutions
of governance in Kenya. The system of governance is designed as a unitary state
with the national government and 47 county governments. It establishes shared
governance at national level and
self-governance at county level. The
system of governance transformed the administration and management of land use in Kenya. The
Ministry of Land and Physical Planning, the county government and the
National Land Commission have powers and
authority to perform functions that improve administration and management of land use. The cooperation of the Ministry of
Land, the county governments and the National
Land Commission in administration and
management of land is held, used and managed in a manner that is equitable, efficient, productive and sustainable. Despite the establishment of
the devolved system of governance, West Pokot County has continued to experience intractable and protracted land use conflicts in low lands of Chesegon, Sigor, Alale, Cheptulel, Kacheliba,
Chepkopegh and Kanyarkwat as well as
highlands of Chepararia, Lelan and Kapenguria. The study sought to assess the efficacy of the institutions of the
devolved system of governance in the management of land use conflict in West
Pokot County. The objective of this study is to examine the influence of the institutions
of the devolved system of governance in management of land use conflicts in West Pokot
County. The study used consociational democracy theory as expounded by Arend Lijphart. The theory
postulates that internal conflicts in divided countries are managed by the transfer of power and resources from national government to autonomous regional government to harness shared governance and self-governance through
participation, inclusion and effective
service delivery. The study used descriptive and explanatory research design to
describe the characteristics, explain and predict the relationship between
institutions of the devolved system of governance and management of land use conflicts in West Pokot County. Data
was collected using questionnaire,
interview schedules, focused discussion and observation. It was analyzed using SPSS and coding of themes and findings
presented using tables, charts and narrations. The study found out that the design of institutions in the devolved
system of governance is effective in management of land use conflicts in West Pokot County.