3. The Global Nature of Policy Problems

Many important public policy issues are trans-boundary in nature and involve global dimensions, constraints, and actors. Given Kenya’s historical experience with globalization and power imbalances in the international system, unpacking the dynamics of potential dependencies, forms of foreign interference, and global cooperation within Kenyan public policymaking is critical. This chapter provides an overview of some of these global dimensions and dynamics of public policymaking in Kenya. Drawing on two case studies in different policy areas (Climate Change and Countering Violent Extremism), it explores how global dynamics play out in practice within the context of local institutions and politics. These case studies show how diverse actors and institutions engage, often contentiously, in crafting policy to address important problems. Despite global power asymmetries, the chapter shows that Kenyan actors can creatively craft autonomous policies to address key problems in society. Even when good policies are successfully crafted and anchored in law, however, implementation remains a challenge, especially in the light of powerful actors that can block change when it threatens their interests.