Sauti Mtaani Online Platform

The 2010 Constitution of Kenya provides for the inclusion of all population groups in all decision-making and governance processes and introduced a devolved system of government intended to promote citizen participation. The Constitution established 47 county assemblies, with each Member of County Assembly (MCA) representing a ward, the lowest unit of the governance structure. The Sauti Mtaani platform was created to improve Kenya’s young people’s knowledge, information and skills, to encourage more effective participation in governance and provide a platform for engagement. Through the Sauti Mtaani website and a short code (21393), the platform is designed to facilitate civic engagement between youth and the MCAs, their local elected representatives. Youth are able to communicate with their MCAs by sending text messages to the short code, free of charge. The MCAs get a link on their phone and respond to the messages from any web-enabled device. This response is received on the sender’s phone and simultaneously posted on the Sauti Mtaani website. Youth have raised such issues as flooding, youth projects, bursaries, the Uwezo fund, lack of jobs, insecurity, missing street lights and bad road conditions. The platform is complemented by a Facebook page and Facebook group.

The Sauti Mtaani platform was created so that MCAs are able to communicate with the youth even when they are away from their wards. The MCAs also use the platform to provide information to the youth about resources that are available to them as well as linking the youth with employment opportunities particularly in industries within their wards. As part of the Sauti Mtaani initiative, young people and MCAs both receive training in leadership and governance, including the duties and responsibilities of MCAs vis-à-vis citizens’ civic rights and responsibilities. They were also involved in the design and constantly participate in the improvement of the platform, familiarisation sessions about its use, and in popularising it in the wards. For example, Sauti Mtaani youth ambassadors host community-based events and activities to promote the platform and inform other youth on matters of governance and how they can participate.

Governance, Youth

According to the Sauti Mtaani website, the platform "is a very effective tool of ensuring that the MCAs are able to reach as many youth as possible within their wards. Given that the wards are very vast, it would otherwise be very difficult for the MCAs to physically reach all the youth and vice versa. Sauti Mtaani is also a very innovative way of engaging young people where they feel most at home - in the social media arena. There are currently (as of May 2016) 20 participating wards namely Baba Dogo, Dandora III, Korogocho, Kahawa, Karura, Kasarani, Kwa Njenga, Laini Saba, Mutuini, Mlango Kubwa, Ngei, Waithaka, South B, Umoja 2, Mowlem, Land Mawe, Kayole North, Lower Savannah, Kangemi and Zimmerman."