LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES IN KENYAN CIVIL SOCIETY
Date
2011-03-23
Authors
Agutu, Otieno Cecil
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Abstract
Kenya and Africa continues to grapple with many development challenges. Civil society,
the government and the private sector all play a critical role in tackling development
challenges in Kenya. For civil society to play the rightful role in the development it has to
overcome many challenges which include poor leadership and corruption, lack of
capabilities to fulfill the desired roles, approaches to development that are not responding
to the needs of communities among other challenges. Yala Swamp community in Kenya
was chosen for this case study as it experienced challenges that hamper their effort to
address the adverse farming activities of an American multinational corporation. The key
challenge they were experiencing is leadership. This stems from the personalities of the
leaders, challenges from within and without their new social movement. The purpose of
this study was to explore and understand the leadership challenges in new social
movements, how they are being addressed and how they could be addressed in the future.
This research was qualitative in nature and aimed at gaining an understanding of
leadership challenges in new social movements and how best they can be addressed from
the perspective of community members who are experiencing development challenges.
The research findings concluded that leadership challenges that hamper the work of new
social movement attempting to address development issues at the community level
emanated from personalities of leaders; community members; and opponents of the
movements or forces outside the movement. The key recommendations include using a
leadership system known as relay leadership which is amenable to realities of new social
movements working at the community level. Civil society also needs to be grounded on
the needs and aspirations of the people, guided by values and clear principles and
establish relationships from the local to the international levels where necessary and
appropriate to tackle the development challenges of communities.
Description
MM- P&DM
Keywords
Leadership - Kenya, Civil society - Kenya