By Quinter Atieno
In a strategic move to strengthen institutional collaboration and advance public service transformation, a delegation from the Kenya School of Government (KSG) paid a courtesy call to the County Government of Siaya.
Speaking during the consultative engagement, KSG’s Corporate Communications Director, Mrs. Pamela Nyaga, underscored the institution’s mandate as a state corporation dedicated to transforming public service. She emphasized that KSG’s impact extends far beyond conventional classroom training to encompass rigorous research and advisory frameworks.
"The Kenya School of Government is mandated to transform the public service through capacity building, comprehensive research, and specialized consultancy services," Mrs. Nyaga stated. "We provide tailored training, research, and advisory services to individuals, corporate organizations, and county governments, offering strategic guidance on governance, leadership, and public policy administration."
As part of the two-day visit, the delegation successfully engaged members of the County Executive Committee (CECMs) and various Chief Officers. The primary objective of these sessions was to evaluate localized training needs, identify performance gaps, and co-create sustainable capacity-building frameworks.
To ensure these insights translate into tangible professional development for the county’s workforce, KSG has established a temporary *Participant Information Desk* at the county headquarters for two days.
This initiative offers a direct touchpoint for staff who may face logistical barriers accessing physical KSG campuses. The desk provides immediate access to essential career development resources, enabling county personnel to align their skills with institutional promotional structures and long-term career growth.
A key highlight of the partnership discussions was the introduction of KSG’s flagship public participation platform, the "Under the Tree" series. This innovative initiative is designed as a grassroots civic forum that enables citizens to directly engage with government policy, question initiatives, and understand executive programs.
The series places a heavy emphasis on social inclusion, targeting marginalized demographics including youth, women, and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). Following a successful deployment in Isiolo County,which focused on addressing knowledge gaps and socio-economic challenges among local women,KSG aims to replicate this model across Siaya's marginalized areas.
The envisioned collaboration seeks to bridge the communication gap between the state corporation, the local administration, and the citizenry by merging national capacity-building frameworks with Siaya’s localized development agenda.
Crucially, this partnership will also branch into environmental sustainability—a core pillar of Governor James Orengo’s administration. Highlighting that Siaya currently battles some of the lowest forest cover statistics in the country, the CECM for Water, Environment, Climate Change, and Natural Resources, Prof. Jacqueline Oduol, noted that reforestation remains an urgent executive priority.
To anchor this shared commitment, the KSG delegation plans to participate in a symbolic tree-planting exercise, planting 150 trees in neighboring schools within Siaya. Prof. Oduol further outlined the county’s strategic plans to aggressively involve learning institutions in environmental conservation initiatives, particularly ahead of the upcoming World Environment Day celebrations on June 5th.
Concluding the meeting, the CECM for Tourism, Sports, Culture, and Arts, Dr. Kut Ochogo, emphasized that the ultimate success of these partnerships hinges on structural equity. He called for deep integration, robust gender mainstreaming, and social equity to enhance administrative accountability and deliver proper, progressive governance to the people of Siaya.