Analysis Of Stakeholders’ Participation In Strategic Environmental Assessment Of The Master Plan On Logistics In The Northern Economic Corridor In Kenya

Abstract

Across the globe, stakeholder participation has been advocated for and accepted as the most crucial and important component in environmental assessment processes. This study examined how stakeholders participated and their comments incorporated in the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the Master Plan on Logistics of the Northern Economic Corridor (NEC), Kenya. The objectives were to undertake stakeholders’ analysis, evaluate the incorporation of views into the SEA output and analyse the existing policy and institutional framework regarding stakeholder participation in the SEA process. The study used both qualitative and quantitative methods to collect primary and secondary data. Qualitative data were subjected to content analysis while quantitative data were subjected to descriptive analysis. The study established that the stakeholder mapping brought out the interests of the participants with 62% expressing interests in the logistics sector such as roads, rail, pipeline and/or inland waterways transport; while 38% had their interests in the indirect impacts of the Master Plan, that is, enhanced economic growth, employment, facilitating transport, environmental protection and adherence to the rule of law. The stakeholder analysis also established that participation was influenced by early engagement, provision of adequate information, openness, accountability, transparency, accessibility, inclusiveness, appropriate method of engagement, giving sufficient time to interrogate and give views, use of a common known language and having a feedback loop for the stakeholders as key factors. A substantial number (42%) of the participants interviewed were of the opinion that they were only informed about the Master Plan and the SEA process through provision of information (that is, one-way communication); 26% were consulted during the SEA process which was a two-way communication (that is, obtaining feedback and inputs); 19% were involved during the SEA planning process which meant that they worked directly with the Plan Owner to ensure that their views and concerns were consistently understood. A small number (13%) collaborated with the Plan Owner during the SEA process through joint planning meetings as well as analysis of issues. The views of participants influenced the decision-making process and were incorporated into the SEA output as evidenced by SEA approval conditional letter issued by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA). However, most (63%) of the participants did not know about the final status or outcome of the SEA. 32% of the respondents indicated that the Master Plan was approved while 5% were of the opinion that it was under review. These results suggest that, the level of participation of stakeholders influenced the approval and decision-making process hence the incorporation of the stakeholder views into the SEA output although there was no stakeholder disclosure on the final status of the SEA. It is recommended that, the environmental regulator, NEMA, comes up with a stakeholder disclosure framework with the aim of communicating back to the engaged participants on the outcome of the participation process and how their views and inputs were used during the entire process to complement the National SEA guidelines, 2012. The study also recommends that an enforcement and monitoring mechanisms for the approved Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) should be undertaken by NEMA so as to ensure that the final outcomes of the PPPs are being implemented as approved while still ensuring that the stakeholder’s views and inputs are utilized accordingly.