How Capacity Building in Records Maintenance Contributes to Enhancing Citizen Participation in Open Governance at the Meru County Assembly, Kenya

Abstract

Citizen participation in open governance is central to democratic accountability, yet it is often undermined by weak record maintenance practices. In Meru County Assembly, Kenya, records management challenges, such as disorganized systems, incomplete digitization, and undertrained personnel, have constrained citizen access to information and diminished public trust. The purpose of this study was to assess how capacity building in records maintenance contributes to enhancing citizen participation in open governance. Guided by the Records Continuum Theory, which conceptualizes records as dynamic and continuously managed resources supporting accountability and transparency, the study adopted a mixed-methods case study design in Meru County. The target population comprised 424 individuals, including 70 Members of the County Assembly, 84 staff, and 270 citizens. Using stratified random sampling, a sample of 270 respondents was drawn. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Instrument validity was ensured through expert review, factor analysis, and pilot testing, while reliability was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha (α ≥ 0.70). Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (Percentages and frequencies) and Pearson correlation analysis in SPSS, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. The findings revealed a strong positive relationship between capacity building and citizen participation (r = 0.77, p < 0.001). Training programs, workshops on digital tools, and continuous professional development improved staff efficiency and enhanced citizen access to records, thereby strengthening trust in governance. However, gaps persisted in inclusivity, digital literacy, and consistency of training. The study concludes that sustained capacity building is a critical enabler of transparency and participatory democracy in devolved assemblies. It recommends that the Meru County Assembly, supported by the County Government of Meru and oversight agencies such as the Public Service Commission, institutionalize regular training, invest in digital literacy, and align staff capacity initiatives with citizen engagement strategies. The study’s novelty lies in empirically demonstrating how targeted human capacity building in records maintenance, not merely technological upgrades, directly fosters citizen empowerment, offering a replicable model for other county assemblies and developing democracies.