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Civil society organisations in Kisumu county have started campaigns to empower communities on how to track climate change finances and projects.
The CSOs have developed a ward climate finance scorecard and tracking tool to help track, evaluate and monitor the utilisation of climate funds.
The campaign is led by Alternative Voices for Climate Change Advocacy in partnership with Sustainable Environmental Development Watch Kenya.
AVCCCA programme officer Ronny Cowino said the tracking tool and scorecard will also improve transparency, accountability.
“The initiative will ensure various communities in the 35 wards in Kisumu get value for money and benefit from locally-led climate change action programmes,” he said.
Cowino spoke during a meeting with ward climate change advocacy champions from eight wards in Kisumu county.
The champions were from Kondele, Migosi, Railways, Nyalenda A, Nyalenda B, Kolwa East, Kolwa Central and North Kisumu.
Already, the county has received a Sh273 million climate change resilience investment grant on community-led projects.
The funds from Financing Locally-Led Climate Action were issued by World Bank and governments of Denmark and Sweden to finance locally-led climate actions programmes.
Cowino called for wise use of the funds to improve livelihoods and mitigate climate change impacts.
Kisumu government has also allocated Sh100 million to climate change initiatives.
Cowino urged the county to provide detailed reports on how all the funds have been used.
“We demand transparency in public participation processes and inclusion of community voices,” he said.
Ruth Otieno, Tipo Oganda CBO chairperson said the projects should have tangible outcomes.
She urged Kisumu government to prioritise projects outlined in the county climate action plan documents.
“The initiatives in these reports will effectively address community climate change challenges,” Otieno said.
She also wants county departments to prioritise the implementation of actions in the third generation Kisumu County Integrated Development Plan.
“This includes integrating climate change initiatives across various sectors to ensure comprehensive and effective adaptation and mitigation efforts,” Otieno said.
