Lamu County puts Kenya on African leadership awards map with two nominations in 2026 contest

Lamu County puts Kenya on African leadership awards map with two nominations in 2026 contest

Lamu County and its disaster management director are shortlisted alongside IGRTC in three categories, earning Kenya a place among Africa's top 50 entries in the 2026 awards.

Kenya has secured three nominations in the 2026 Pan-African Local Leadership Excellence Awards, with Lamu County Government and its disaster management director among those shortlisted in a competition that attracted 615 entries from across Africa.

The Intergovernmental Relations Technical Committee (IGRTC) is the third Kenyan nominee, giving the country representation in three categories covering support for vulnerable communities, individual leadership and intergovernmental coordination.

Lamu County has been nominated in the Solidarity and Assistance to Vulnerable Communities category for its community-based disaster and peace resilience model, while its disaster management director, Shee Kupi Shee, is among five nominees in the Transformative Citizen category.

The nominations place Lamu's efforts to tackle insecurity, disaster risks and community vulnerability on a continental platform. Governor Issa Timamy and Shee are expected to present the county's experience during the next stage of the competition.

The awards are organised by the International Observatory of Participatory Democracy in Africa (OIDP Africa), in partnership with the African Union Commission and United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa).

According to information shared with the nominees, only 50 entries were shortlisted from the 615 submissions received across the continent.

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Lamu County's entry, titled Community-Based Disaster and Peace Resilience Model for Fragile Coastal Border Communities in Lamu County, focuses on integrating disaster preparedness, conflict prevention and community participation to protect populations facing multiple risks.

The model recognises that insecurity, climate-related hazards, pressure on livelihoods and displacement can worsen vulnerability and strain relations between communities.

To address these challenges, the county has invested in preparedness measures, community engagement and coordination between government institutions and local actors.

A key component of the initiative is the Lamu County Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), established to strengthen early warning, emergency preparedness, coordination and response.

The centre received the Averted Disaster Award in Japan in 2024 in recognition of its work in disaster risk management.

Lamu's initiatives also include efforts to improve relations between refugees and host communities in Kiunga, near the Kenya-Somalia border, where cooperation and inclusion are considered essential to peaceful coexistence.

Governor Timamy is expected to present the county's experience during a webinar scheduled for early November as part of the awards process.

The presentation will allow the county to demonstrate how local institutions have integrated peacebuilding and disaster preparedness into interventions targeting vulnerable communities.

In a separate nomination, Shee has been shortlisted in the Transformative Citizen category for his work linking disaster preparedness to efforts to prevent violent extremism and reduce conflict in vulnerable coastal and border communities.

His entry, titled "From Risk to Resilience: Using Disaster Preparedness to Prevent Violent Extremism and Build Peace in Fragile Coastal and Border Communities", examines how emergency planning and community engagement can contribute to stability.

As Director of Disaster Risk Management and Peace Building in Lamu County Government, Shee has been involved in initiatives focused on emergency preparedness, peacebuilding and coordination among public institutions and humanitarian partners.

His nomination provides an opportunity to showcase lessons from efforts to tackle environmental, humanitarian and security challenges through interventions at the local level.

While the county's nomination recognises an institutional model, Shee's entry focuses on his individual contribution to strengthening community resilience.

The Intergovernmental Relations Technical Committee has also been shortlisted under the Ministries and Technical Departments track, giving Kenya representation in a third category separate from those featuring Lamu County and Shee.

Together, the three nominations highlight different aspects of public leadership, including local government responses to community vulnerability, individual initiatives and coordination between levels of government.

The next phase of the awards will include a peer-learning programme scheduled for November 2 to 6, 2026, during which nominees are expected to present their experiences and engage with the Scientific Committee.

The programme is intended to facilitate the exchange of practical approaches and lessons that could benefit other local authorities and communities across Africa.

Under the arrangements communicated to nominees, three candidates from each category will be invited to Yaoundé, Cameroon, for the awards ceremony on December 3, 2026.