Kenyan government has called for stronger, more responsive regulatory governance as Eldoret hosts the Second Annual Regulatory Authorities and Agencies (RAAs) conference.

Speaking during the conference at the University of Eldoret, Principal Secretary in State Department for Broadcasting and Telecommunications Stephen Isaboke said the conference is a reminder of the urgency to fortify the performance and visibility of regulatory bodies of the government as part of the broader national development agenda.

The principal secretary assured the conference that his state department will work with the office of the chief of staff to ensure that regulatory communication is consistent, accessible and citizen-centred.

“We need to develop uniform messaging guidelines for RAAs to help them communicate their roles, mandates and service expectations clearly to the public, as part of the broader government communication strategy,” said Isaboke.

The principal secretary further indicated that going forward, each RAA would be expected to report on how they engage the public, the tools they use, the feedback they receive, and the corrective measures they take.

“We are also exploring the integration of media engagement metrics and citizen satisfaction indices into the bi-annual reports,” he said.

He urged the various heads of RAAs to also explore cross-sector collaboration opportunities and digital transformation strategies to enhance regulatory reach and effectiveness.

Chief of Staff Felix Koskei emphasised that the revitalisation of regulatory bodies was central to achieving President William Ruto’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). Koskei said regulators were not just enforcers but enablers of economic and social transformation, tasked with setting and ensuring adherence to norms and standards that promote public welfare.

“The success of our regulatory authorities is fundamental to delivering premier services to all Kenyans both qualitatively, quantitatively, and in a timely manner,” said Koskei.

“We expect RAAs to not only enforce rules but to catalyse growth, innovation, and trust in public institutions,” he added.

According to Koskei, the revitalisation campaign, launched in July 2023, followed a fact-finding survey initiated by his office to assess the effectiveness of RAAs in fulfilling their mandates.

He noted that the survey revealed significant gaps in service delivery, compliance enforcement, and internal efficiency, necessitating a comprehensive campaign aimed at overhauling regulatory performance.

Koskei reiterated that the conference is not a routine exercise but a strategic engagement to foster continuous learning, innovation, and accountability among RAAs.

“The momentum from this conference must extend beyond these three days. Regulatory authorities must take ownership of their role as agents of transformation, not just administrators of compliance,” he stressed.

Key initiatives include the establishment of the department of audit, legal and regulatory compliance in the executive office of the president, dedicated standing committees in every state department and a new bi-annual reporting framework to monitor progress.

Currently, 129 regulatory authorities and agencies, spread across 38 state departments, are directly involved in the initiative. Their leadership structures from board chairs to chief executive officers, have been tasked with fostering collective action to translate legal mandates into tangible service delivery.

The conference will feature deep-dive analyses of bi-annual performance reports, case studies on translating legal mandates into actionable regulations, and showcases of innovative public engagement practices.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Martin Kiplimo