Challenges and Lessons
Challenges and Set backs

  1. Meeting the numerous demands from communities in the face of limited resources/CRF capacity.
  2. Reconciling conflicting perspectives/interests of stakeholders (Government, Community, Investors).
  3. Follow-up and implementation of the recommendations given in the Public Inquiry report.
  4. Spreading the CRF tentacles to the three districts; Kilifi, Tana River and Lamu and within the current districts of focus.
  5. Sustainability of CRF and its member networks.
  6. Formation of networks around human-wildlife conflict, marine/fisheries and mining. Resuscitation of the defunct land and workers’ networks.
  7. Lack of political goodwill.
  8. Deliberate marginalization of the coastal communities.
  9. Outdated and unjust Government laws and policies e.g. human/wildlife conflict, mining, land, labour among others.
  10. Documentation, publishing and dissemination of information to member networks and the entire world.
  11. Self interest clashing with community interest.
  12. Lack of co-operation from the mainstream media houses.
  13. Stigma of tribalism.

Lessons/Insights  

  1. Need for CRF to work closely with other stakeholders if success is to be forthcoming.
  2. Most problems come from within i.e. leaders and Government.
  3. When people become aware of their rights they fight for them.
  4. Need for amendment/change and formation of better laws and policies.
  5. Need for improvement of the political will/governance.
  6. The best solutions to the problems come from the community facing the problem.
  7. It is paramount to establish sustainability and cut the dependency syndrome to donor funding.
  8. Repackaging information into user friendly language to the community.
  9. All problems and solutions are similar in all the networks therefore their unity is their strength and success.
  10. The involvement of other government bodies i.e. KNCHR and NEMA increase the community confidence and reduction of fear.
  11. Using of information from credible research institutions e.g. public universities puts authenticates arguments.

Way forward (2006 to 2009)

  1. Strengthen CRF and its member networks’ capacities.
  2. Strengthening the relations between CRF, likeminded organizations and government bodies/departments.
  3. Spread of CRF to the remaining districts
  4. Building endowment fund for CRF.
  5. Initiating and sustaining Income generating activities to make CRF self sustainable.