The National Treasury has opened public forums on a new policy guiding the valuation and management of government assets. The first forum was held at the Kenya School of Government in Mombasa and drew members from across the Coast region.
Mombasa County chief Mohammed Nur Hassan officially opened the session, saying the process is to enable ordinary Kenyans to have a say in how public resources are conserved and utilized.
“Public participation is of concern because it gives an assurance that Kenyans will be consulted in issues related to government properties directly,” he explained to delegates.
The meeting brought together representatives from all six coastal counties of Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi, Lamu, Taita Taveta, and Tana River, civil society members, professional bodies, and religious leaders.
Assets Valuation Taskforce chairman Geoffrey Malombe, who is also the Director of Asset Management at the Treasury, explained that the policy will help streamline the way state assets are accounted for and utilized.
“Behind all of these figures on paper,” he stated, “is the question of accountability and making sure that public assets benefit the people.”
The taskforce says the opinion gathered in the Coast and other regions will be used to shape the final policy document before it is rolled out countrywide.
The administrators believe that through early involvement of the communities, the policy will gain public confidence and be more feasible to implement.
