A political and environmental showdown is quietly intensifying in Siaya County as climate change advocates prepare to confront what they describe as systemic negligence, legislative gaps, and a persistent lack of political will from the County’s leadership.

At the centre of the dispute is the county’s handling of the 2020 National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP)—a document formally ratified by the Siaya County Assembly but, according to activists, never fully understood, interrogated, nor implemented in its intended spirit.

The glaring omission, advocates say, is the county assembly’s failure to internalize one of the plan’s most transformative provisions: the establishment of Village Development Councils (VDCs)—community-level institutions meant to champion decentralized climate governance and anchor green development at the grassroots.

A Ratification Done in Darkness

Climate change champion David Oremo, the Chief Executive Officer of Acacia Community Development Group, alongside members of the Siaya County Climate Change Forum, argues that the assembly’s ratification was more ceremonial than substantive.

The activists claim that the MCAs endorsed the County action plan “without interrogating the nitty-gritty,” choosing instead to rubber-stamp a County obligation without appreciating what the plan required them to domesticate in each household.

“We have leaders who read the title page and assume compliance,” one advocate remarked. “The VDC framework was not only critical—it was mandatory for localized climate governance.”

The team also petitioned the County Assembly of Siaya through Speaker George Okode.

Makueni: The Model Siaya Is Ignoring

The gulf between intent and implementation becomes even more glaring when one considers that Makueni County has already enacted separate legislation establishing VDCs, enabling villagers to participate directly in climate action planning, resource mobilization, and localized adaptation solutions.

Siaya, by contrast, has neither drafted nor tabled a county-level legal instrument to operationalize such councils.

Knowledge Gap Among MCAs

Advocates accuse many MCAs of lacking even a basic understanding of the correlation between climate change initiatives and localized commune-level action.

“The majority of our elected leaders cannot connect the dots between environmental degradation, livelihood vulnerability, and rising insecurity,” the climate lobbyists allege, adding “Climate change is not a theoretical issue—it is a daily lived reality for fishermen, farmers, and traders who depend on ecosystems and weather cycles.”

Engagement Attempts Downplayed

This friction is not new. Climate change groups say they have made repeated attempts since 2023 to engage both the executive and the County Assembly, but their efforts have been met with indifference, procedural delays, and dismissive attitudes.

“Every time we request a formal discussion, the matter is shelved, downplayed, or postponed indefinitely,” an advocate lamented. “It is as though climate governance is an inconvenience rather than a developmental priority.”

Escalation on the Horizon

Having grown weary of what they describe as county-level obstruction, the activists now say they are prepared to take their petition to the national level.

“If the county administration continues to turn a blind eye, we will escalate this to national leaders who understand the urgency,” the group maintains. “Siaya cannot be left behind while other counties are moving forward.”

A Brewing Political Storm

The showdown pits a grassroots, expertise-backed movement against a county administration struggling to balance climate literacy, governance structures, and competing political agendas.

If Siaya fails to institutionalize VDCs and localize climate governance, the county risks lagging in access to green financing, climate adaptation funds, and national-level projects that prioritize community-led resilience structures.

The storm is gathering—and unless the county acts decisively, Siaya may soon find itself at the epicentre of one of Kenya’s most consequential climate governance battles.

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