The 6th edition of the People Dialogue Festival (PDF) comes to dramatic and memorable close today, leaving in its wake powerful, purposeful and sometimes controversial but respectful discussions across the six villages over the last four days. The festival brought together an estimated 2,000 participants per day, over 60 exhibitors including political parties, NGOs, social enterprises and donors. Others included senior government representatives from the three arms of government (Judiciary, Executive and Parliament), development partners, embassies and foreign missions, 15 high schools from both Nairobi and Kiambu. Over the last four days more than 50 sessions and panels discussing diverse themes contributed to the PDF2024 theme of “Competition and Collaboration in Democratic Development.”

Thought-provoking conversations were held, focusing on key themes such as Democracy, Devolution, and Governance, with a particular emphasis on the importance of citizenship and meaningful public participation in governance processes. The festival also highlighted the urgent need for young people to step up and drive change, advocating for a more revolutionary approach to address societal challenges. Discussions also centred around Sustainability, exploring strategies for sustainable development and climate action.

Additionally, there was an insightful exploration of the role of technology in democracy, examining how digital tools can enhance civic engagement and transparency. Special attention was also given to issues of inclusion, with a particular focus on empowering women, youth, and people with disabilities to actively participate in decision-making processes. The ever fresh question of women’s inclusion and participation in politics, society and economy took centre-stage on Day 3 of the festival, anchored on the International Women’s Day 2024 and its theme of “Inspiring Inclusion.”

With more than 50 vibrant conversations over 4 days across 6 Villages, our amazing team of Rapporteurs will be working to deliver a more comprehensive Festival Report in the coming days after the festival closes. We are grateful for their work. Subsequently, this 2024 Festival Outcome Document is a mere summary of some of the most compelling notable and actionable voices coming from the Villagers.

FROM THE YOUTH VILLAGE

Noting the role of youth in promoting effective devolution processes and the importance of civic education to empower young people to engage meaningfully in civic, political, economic and social life, hold leaders and each other accountable, the Youth Villagers put the following recommendations:

1. On Education and Skill Development: The Villagers emphasised the need for curriculum reforms, additional skills training beyond formal education, and government support in providing entrepreneurial training and financial literacy programs.

2. On Quality of Education for Learners with Disabilities: The Villagers underscored the importance of policy development, infrastructure improvements, and integrating assistive technology to advance inclusive learning to address barriers and challenges faced by persons with disabilities.

3. On The National Youth Council: The Villagers noted that the Youth Council has remained in an unwelcome state of Permanent Temporariness for far too long. Notably, the NYC has had no elections in the last 10 years; The NYC has an Acting CEO for the last 2 years. The Villagers urge the government to act with urgency to strengthen NYC and its structures and its participatory approach to youth engagement, including elections as opposed to appointing Council Members.

4. On Political Parties: The Villagers urge the ORPP to work closely with CSOs and Political Parties to ensure safeguarding policies entrenched and implemented within Political Parties.

5. On Future PDF: The Villagers call for a shift towards “Continuity of Engagement,” to ensure there is continuing work between the festivals and for follow ups and key commitments.

FROM THE HEKIMA VILLAGE

Lauding the importance for intergenerational dialogue that brings together various stakeholders, young and old to explore nuances of democratic development, the Hekima Village played a pivotal part of the PDF 2024 providing a platform for thought-provoking conversations and actionable insights. The Hekima villagers put forth the following recommendations:

1. On national governance: The Villagers called on the government to promote individual commitments to ethical values and integrity in governance, fostering a culture of accountability and transparency at the national level.

2. On Accountability of public officials: The villagers advocate for robust institutional mechanisms to hold leaders accountable for their actions and ensure integrity in public office, urging for accountability and necessary reforms in governance.

3. On legislative reforms, the villagers urged the government and politicians to enforce gender parity and inclusion in political representation, including the implementation of the two-thirds gender rule in political parties to ensure equitable participation in decision-making processes.

4. On Inspiring Inclusion: The villagers emphasised the need to enhance efforts to create inclusive environments for women, particularly those with disabilities, in decision-making bodies. They called for measures to ensure their voices are heard and valued in shaping policies and programs, promoting true inclusivity in governance.

FROM THE NI SISI NI SASA VILLAGE

The Ni Sisi ni Sasa Village was a hub where high school students at PDF were able to creatively explore various themes over the last four days. . The themes covered range from community impact, Article 10 of the Kenyan constitution, digital rights, mental health, conservation and Global frameworks for sustainable development.

1. On Community Impact: Inspired by real stories’, the Villagers discussed real-world challenges faced by community leaders, emphasising that positive change can be initiated at any age. The young people at the village reaffirmed their readiness and commitment to act where they are.

2. On Article 10 of the Kenyan Constitution: The Villagers called for inclusive civic and political education to build relationship between democracy and national values as well as to build capacity of young people in advocacy skills for holding leaders accountable.

3. On Mental Health: The villagers discussed the stigma on health seeking behaviours, and urged stakeholders including schools, government and parents to be intentional and proactive in creating better understanding of mental health of children and learners, and to take measures to protect the same.

4. On Conservation: The village fostered an understanding of ecological challenges and empowered students to advocate for positive change through storytelling. Through three short Kenyan films, students linked the films to academic subjects like Geography and Agriculture, demonstrating the practical applications of their knowledge.

5. On Global frameworks for Sustainable Development: The villagers explored the interconnected nature of SDGs, and through breakout sessions, discussed collaborative strategies for achieving a sustainable future by 2030.

The village encouraged positive change through networking, and provided mentors and role models to inspire the youth to actively engage in democracy.

FROM THE SDG VILLAGE

The SDGs Village at the PDF2024 was the epicentre for in-depth discussions and collaborative initiatives aimed at advancing the realisation of the sustainable development goals in Kenya.

Sessions here covered topics such as the economics of SDGs, economic governance, financing the SDGs, as well as its intersection with climate change, gender equality and women’s economic empowerment.

From the SDG Villagers, we bring the following recommendations:

1. On Collaborative Democracy: The Villagers noted the interconnectedness of democracy, sustainability, and inclusive development, and thus urge for stronger, inclusive partnerships among stakeholders across sectors, themes, populations and nations.

2. On Financial Sustainability: The Villagers underscored the need for transparency and accountability in government spending on SDGs specifically and on development more generally, including late disbursement of funds to counties were highlighted, In particular, the SDG Villagers call for more innovative financing mechanisms for SDGs, such as public-private partnerships, bonds, and remittances from the diaspora.

3. On Climate Action: Over and above the role of parliaments, innovators and startups, as well as media in combating climate change, participants call for increased grassroots engagement, civic education, and youth involvement in climate activism and initiatives.

4. On Government Mandates and Implementation Challenges: Panellists discussed Kenya’s progress towards the SDGs, the Voluntary National Reporting (VNR) process, and challenges in data management and inclusivity. Efforts towards capacity building, accessibility, and localising SDGs were highlighted.

5. On the Role of Counties in SDG Implementation: Finally, the Villagers noted that insufficient funding and inability to integrate technology in SDG projects can be resolved by aligning county agendas with national and international SDG goals, better collaboration between government levels, and youth-led innovations for SDGs.

FROM THE POLITICAL VILLAGE

The political village delved into the heartbeat of Kenya’s democracy and electoral processes. Throughout sessions, the villagers discussed the cyclic nature of elections and the indispensable role of the citizenry in Kenya’s electoral process, both as voters and as accountability partners, ensuring the integrity and fairness of our democratic institutions. Calling on government, citizens and related stakeholders, the villagers noted:

1. On Public Participation: The villagers call emphasised a revolution for better public engagement. Launching the Civic Voices App, the village praised the Nairobi City County Government’s adoption of e-participation that tackles the high costs of traditional methods while improving monitoring.

2. On Fiscal Accountability: The villagers noted the concerns that loom over Kenya’s political accountability, especially in campaign financing. They called for stricter regulations to curb excessive spending and mandate funding source disclosure.

3. On Technology: The emerging trend of using AI and big data in influencing voting patterns and turnout was highlighted and the villagers caution against misinformation, disinformation and misinformation as potential downsides of technology.

4. On Civic Education: The village deliberated the challenges faced by aspirants, especially the pressure to provide financial incentives to garner support, highlighting the need for continuous voter education to foster informed decision-making.

5. On Ensuring Electoral Integrity: The villagers committed to advocate for comprehensive election observation mechanisms to detect and deter electoral irregularities, emphasising the need for robust monitoring systems to safeguard the integrity of electoral processes and uphold democratic principles.

6. On Empowering Youth and Enhancing Political Knowledge: A key commitment emerged from the Political Village to empower youth through political education and training. The Office of the Registrar of Parties pledged to conduct youth training on the Kenya Political Sourcebook, equipping young people with the knowledge and skills necessary for meaningful political engagement.

7. On Policy Reforms: The villagers identified several urgent policy reforms needed to strengthen electoral governance. These include the devolution of basic education (Primary school education), fast-tracked appointment of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioners, ending political appointments and amending Article 89 of the Constitution to extend the period of Boundaries Delimitation for more effective electoral representation and governance.

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The 7th Edition of the People Dialogue Festival 2025 will take place from 5th to 8th March 2025. same energy. Same vibes. Same spirit. #OnWard! to the Next PDF2025