Study on the Relationship between Legislative Oversight and the Executive Organs’ Compliance with Principles of Good Governance: A Case Study of Kenya’s Makueni County Assembly

Abstract

Legislatures exercise oversight over governments operations, programs and policies in promoting transparency, accountability and prudence in their exercise of public duties. Nevertheless, oversight functions are most often misconstrued as adversarial and fault-finding exercises intended to embarrass the executive organs in their exercise of delegated powers. In this view, this study sought to analyze the relationship between lawmakers’ exercise of oversight functions over the executive branch operations and compliance with good governance practice. The objectives of the study were to analyze the correlation between County Assemblies’ exercise of oversight functions and the County executives’ compliance with principles of good governance – public participation, respect of the rule of law, transparency and accountability, efficiency and effectiveness, responsiveness and equity and consensus. The study also sought to describe the relations and cooperation between the two organs in view of the purpose and spirit of legislative oversight. The study used mixed research designs of correlational and descriptive research. Using stratified sampling technique, a sample of 71 respondents was chosen from a population of 78. The response rate was 70.4%, which was adequate for the purpose of the study. The study results showed a strong positive correlation (>0.70) between County Assemblies’ exercise of oversight functions and the County executive compliance with good governance practice. Linear regression analysis established that 94% of the variation of the Assembly’s exercise of oversight functions could be explained by the County Executive compliance with principles of leadership and governance. The findings concur with the purpose and spirit of parliamentary exercise of oversight functions in promoting accountability and prudence in the exercise of public duties.