Tug-of-war between formal institutions and informal systems in Kenya

Kenya's Accountability Crossroads: Can Formal Systems Overcome Informal Influence?

Lena Voss in Politics & Policy June 2025 • 4 min read.

"A deep dive into the struggle between formal accountability structures and informal systems shaping governance in Kenya's state-owned enterprises."

Accountability stands as a cornerstone of democratic governance, ensuring that public officials are held responsible for their actions and decisions. This responsibility helps ensure that government initiatives align with their intended objectives and effectively serve the community. Better governance and greater prosperity are the results of accountable leadership. The dimensions of accountability are two: vertical and horizontal.

Kenya has been working to improve its governance through reforms for over three decades. These reforms have created solid institutions and formal systems, designed to promote responsible, people-driven, and accountable governance. Ideally, these improvements should boost the effectiveness of parliament and enhance the lives of citizens.

However, there's a hitch: these reforms and institutional mechanisms aren't always effective. Kenya relies heavily on informal mechanisms, and elites in both the executive and parliamentary branches sometimes favor these informal approaches. When formal mechanisms interfere with their goals, whether individual or collective, the informal takes precedence, diminishing the impact of reforms. This preference is especially evident in state-owned enterprises.

Why Informal Systems Reign Supreme in Kenya's Accountability Landscape

Tug-of-war between formal institutions and informal systems in Kenya

Recent research highlights persistent challenges in horizontal accountability within Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly between executive and legislative bodies. These challenges are often due to limited resources, weak institutions, and negative cultural practices, such as ethnic-based loyalties and collusive elite networks. Kenya's situation is no exception, where the allure of informal systems frequently overshadows formal accountability structures.

To truly understand why these informal systems take hold, one must consider several interlocking factors that affect governance in Kenya:

Cultural Allegiance: Deep-seated ethnic divisions and historical hostilities encourage reliance on close-knit networks.
Power Dynamics: A legacy of state power being appropriated by select groups fosters an environment where exclusion and cohesion reinforce informal norms.
Psychological Factors: Individuals adapt to environments with tight cultural norms, further solidifying the importance of informal systems.
Ascribed Status: The high value placed on family background and traditional leadership positions can eclipse the importance of formal roles and qualifications.

These elements foster an environment where informal norms are favored, often undermining formal mechanisms designed to promote transparency and accountability. Even well-intentioned legislative reforms struggle to take root when faced with these deeply entrenched dynamics.

Charting a Path Forward: Rebalancing Formal and Informal Systems

Kenya's journey toward stronger accountability requires recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of both formal and informal systems. By addressing the underlying factors that promote informal influence, such as ethnic divisions and exclusionary practices, the nation can pave the way for more effective and equitable governance. Strengthening formal institutions, promoting transparency, and fostering a culture of responsibility are essential steps in ensuring that accountability serves the interests of all Kenyans.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1353/eas.2018.0016, Alternate LINK

Title: Interface Between Formal And Informal Systems Of Horizontal Accountability In Kenya'S State-Owned Enterprises

Subject: General Medicine

Journal: Eastern Africa Social Science Research Review

Publisher: Project Muse

Authors: Paschal B. Mihyo, Truphena E. Mukuna

Published: 2018-01-01

Everything You Need To Know

Why is Accountability important for governance and development?

Accountability is crucial because it ensures public officials are responsible for their actions, aligning government initiatives with their objectives and serving the community effectively. This leads to better governance and greater prosperity. The dimensions of Accountability are two: vertical and horizontal. Without Accountability, government initiatives may fail to meet their intended goals, and the needs of the community may be neglected, potentially leading to poor governance and hindering development.

What reforms has Kenya undertaken to improve governance, and why are they not always effective?

Kenya has been implementing reforms for over three decades to improve governance by creating institutions and formal systems that promote responsible and accountable governance. These improvements ideally boost the effectiveness of parliament and enhance the lives of citizens. However, the reliance on informal mechanisms, often favored by elites, diminishes the impact of these reforms, especially in state-owned enterprises. The preference for informal systems over formal ones undermines the intended benefits of these reforms, leading to inefficiencies and a lack of transparency in governance.

What factors cause informal systems to dominate Kenya's Accountability landscape?

Informal systems take precedence due to several interlocking factors, including cultural allegiance driven by ethnic divisions, power dynamics where state power is appropriated by select groups, psychological factors adapting to tight cultural norms, and the high value placed on ascribed status like family background and traditional leadership. These elements create an environment where informal norms are favored, undermining formal mechanisms. Without addressing these underlying factors, legislative reforms struggle to take root, perpetuating inefficiencies and inequities in governance.

How do cultural allegiance, power dynamics, psychological factors, and ascribed status impact formal Accountability structures?

Cultural allegiance, power dynamics, psychological factors, and ascribed status significantly undermine formal accountability structures. Deep-seated ethnic divisions and historical hostilities drive reliance on close-knit networks, while the appropriation of state power by select groups reinforces exclusion and cohesion. Individuals adapt to environments with tight cultural norms, and the high value placed on family background eclipses formal roles. Without recognizing and addressing these dynamics, efforts to strengthen formal systems may be ineffective, leading to continued reliance on informal norms and hindering equitable governance.

How can Kenya achieve stronger Accountability by rebalancing formal and informal systems?

Kenya can achieve stronger accountability by recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of both formal and informal systems, addressing underlying factors such as ethnic divisions and exclusionary practices, strengthening formal institutions, promoting transparency, and fostering a culture of responsibility. This involves addressing cultural allegiance, power dynamics, psychological factors, and ascribed status. By rebalancing formal and informal systems, Kenya can pave the way for more effective and equitable governance, ensuring accountability serves the interests of all Kenyans.