Trans Nzoia Pushes Gender Mainstreaming as Tormoi Calls for Inclusive Service Delivery

Trans Nzoia County has intensified efforts to integrate gender perspectives into development planning, budgeting and public service delivery, with County Executive Committee Member for Gender, Youth, Sports and Culture Eliud Tormoi calling for stronger inclusion of marginalized groups.

Speaking on Tuesday during a gender mainstreaming workshop organised by the County Government in partnership with the Kenya Devolution Support Programme II (KDSP II), Tormoi said devolved units must build their capacity to finance, manage and account for public resources effectively.

He said gender mainstreaming should not be treated as an isolated agenda but as a central pillar of development planning and service delivery.

“To fix service delivery, we must move seamlessly in the same direction on issues of integration so that we do not marginalise our fellow human beings. We must treat everybody in the right way, and this is a stark reminder to us all to walk this journey together,” said Tormoi.

The CECM raised concern over the barriers faced by persons with hearing impairments while seeking services in public and private institutions.

Tormoi recounted an engagement earlier in the day with members of the hard-of-hearing community who visited his office, saying the experience highlighted the urgent need for qualified sign language interpreters and staff trained in Kenyan Sign Language.

He noted that deaf persons continue to face serious communication challenges in hospitals, offices, banks and legal institutions, which often compromise their access to essential services and their ability to advocate for their rights.

“Without interpreters, deaf patients face severe misunderstandings that can lead to misdiagnosis or improper medical care. Imagine a situation where a deaf patient is forced to write on paper for a doctor to give a medical prescription, leading to wasted time in service delivery,” he said.

Tormoi added that the lack of interpretation services has left many deaf persons socially excluded, exposing them to discrimination and deep-rooted stereotypes.

He congratulated KDSP II for supporting county staff to build the skills required to undertake independent capacity performance assessments, saying the programme was helping counties prioritise infrastructure projects and improve accountability.

Trans Nzoia County KDSP II Gender Officer Robert Kibii said there was a need to strengthen working relations between the national and county governments while improving oversight, public participation and accountability.

Kibii said institutionalising civic engagement would promote transparency and ensure residents play a meaningful role in shaping development priorities.

Kitale Municipality Social Development Officer Pamela Indimuli also called for timely planning of programmes and meetings to ensure women are not left out of development processes.

Indimuli, who is also a Trainer of Trainers, said women’s participation in development remains a key driver of inclusive growth, poverty reduction and community resilience.

“By empowering women economically, politically and socially, societies unlock untapped human potential, improve health and education outcomes, and accelerate progress towards global sustainable development goals,” she said.

She said the challenge of gender inequality is driven by deep-seated social norms and power imbalances, requiring a multi-sectoral approach involving policymakers, institutions, communities and development partners.

The workshop brought together county officials and stakeholders to discuss practical ways of mainstreaming gender in public programmes, strengthening accountability and ensuring development initiatives respond to the needs of women, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.