Maskani Ya Taifa

Disrupting and replacing narratives that are detrimental to political participation and civic engagement

Maskani Ya Taifa is an iterative online-offline, issue-based and agenda-setting advocacy platform. The platform utilises citizen hubs and technology to mobilise citizens to engage on pertinent contextual issues and participate in their own governance. It also harnesses digital technology and online presence towards disruption and replacement of narratives detrimental to political participation and civic engagement.

Citizen Hubs

Based on the experiences of the 10 years of implementing Maskani, we have learnt the importance of virtual and digital spaces in enhancing the rights of Kenyans to participate in their governance. Over the years, we have established and strengthened functional and operational citizen hubs. We provide requisite skills for the identification of contextual issues, prioritization and execution of online campaigns coupled with offline action and support for individual initiatives.

The programme also provides a mechanism for learning and capacity development for hubs to foster engagement of young people in the discourse, build young people’s capacity to learn and engage on pertinent issues affecting their daily lives.

Digital Platforms

Through research, messaging and documentation, Maskani Ya Taifa continues to be a major driver of narratives on digital spaces in Kenya through developing an active citizen platform geared towards sustained civilian oversight and campaigns that address prevailing and emerging Kenyan issues. Maskani Ya Taifa utilises multiple digital channels and other innovative spaces to set the agenda for discussion in the public discourse by identifying and disrupting political narratives that dehumanise and instrumentalise violence, marginality and inequality.

Civic Action

Maskani Ya Taifa engages with Civil Society and also partners with civic actors to amplify the work done by CSOs at the local, national, and international levels including networks, coalitions and issue-specific alliances. The programme seeks to become the go-to team for civic technology deployment for civil society.