Achievements of The Syokimau Residents Association (SRA)

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The Syokimau Residents Association (SRA), based in the Mavoko Sub-County of Machakos County, Kenya, has made significant strides in community development and advocacy since its inception. The following document outlines the governance structure, registration details, and achievements of the SRA, as reported by the association. This information is meant to be a source of basic information and Achievements of the SRA.

Governance Structure

The SRA’s operations, values, and principles are guided by its Constitution, Rules, and annual Strategic Plans. The highest decision-making body of the association is the Annual General Meeting (AGM), which elects the secretariat. The secretariat comprises the Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, and Deputy Treasurer. The secretariat collaborates with multi-disciplinary committees composed of high-calibre professionals from diverse fields who volunteer their time and expertise to support the SRA’s mission.

Membership

Membership is Court-based as opposed to individual membership. Every Court Pays a monthly subscription of Kes 2000 for the day-to-day running of the Association.

Registration

The SRA was registered in 2010 as a company limited by guarantee. This form of registration was chosen for several reasons, as explained by the association:

Legal Protection for Volunteers: The form of registration protects volunteers from personal legal liability, as the association can sue or be sued as an entity. This structure was recommended by a group of resident lawyers and individuals of goodwill in 2010. They argued that without this form of registration, officials would be personally responsible for decisions made correctively on behalf of the community. This strategic move has allowed the SRA to represent residents in legal matters without exposing individuals to undue risk. It has also enabled individuals in different sectors of society to volunteer without jeopardizing their professional and personal lives.
Checks and Balances: This form of registration ensures proper governance mechanisms are in place to safeguard the association’s interests.
Decision-Making: No single leader has the authority to commit the entity of the association independently. Major decisions are made by the Apex decision making body which is the AGM, while day-to-day operations are managed by the Executive Committee (Excom), which is advised by the legal committee. These checks and balances have contributed to the SRA’s stability and success over the past decade.

Achievements of the SRA

Over the years, the SRA has achieved remarkable milestones across various committees. Below is a summary of these accomplishments:

1. Environment Committee

The Environment Committee has:

Established a beneficial partnership with the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to oversee public participation in upcoming developments. The SRA issues a letter of no objection, certifying that public participation has been conducted and the project can proceed.

Partnered with corporates, such as Equity Bank and AAR, to sponsor tree-planting exercises.
Engaged with authorities to address violations of environmental laws.
Working closely with WRA and KAA on pegging and returning of River Sabaki to its natural course as a permanent waterway in Syokimau
in court with Endmore Steel who have become perennial air polluters in Syokimau causing untold suffering to residents
Removal of kiosks along airport road that had turned into dens of drugs and insecurity in Siokimau.
Partnership with AAR on greenery for Airport road

2. Legal Committee

The Legal Committee, composed of resident lawyers, has:

Provided pro-bono legal advisory services to the association. This has seen SRA Easily succeed in litigation of cases at the courts of law and the environmental tribunal.
Represented the SRA in the development of an integrated and sustainable spatial plan (zoning) for Syokimau. This plan was passed into law by the county assembly and is available for download. This Zoning has now guaranteed the residents a dignified quality of life and an increased value to their properties.
Successfully Litigated over 50 cases on illegal developments and pollution that were of interest to the residents
(https://residentstoday.co.ke/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Syokimau-Zoning-Land-Use-Plan.pdf).
Championed the recovery of over 120 acres of public land through the Lands Commission. The commission has written to the Registrar to place a caveat on the parcels pending gazettement.

3. Infrastructure Committee

The Infrastructure Committee has successfully lobbied for:

Lobbying and Partnering with Road Agencies KURA/KeRRA for the construction and maintenance of key roads, including Airport Road, Mwananchi Road, Notredame/Kiungani Road, Community Road (under KERRA), Katani Road, and Quarry Road.
Street lighting projects in Syokimau, in partnership with the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC).
Securing our road corridors and protecting them from destructive heavy commercial trucks from Katani Quarries.
A working and ongoing partnership between the SRA and KPLC in coordination of emergency responses on power outages and restoration.

4. Welfare and Publicity Committee

This committee has organized:

The annual Syokimau Trade Expo and Conference, an income-generating event that supports the association’s activities.
The Tujuane Dinner, an annual event held since 2015.
A thriving SRA SACCO, offering financial services to members.
A group insurance policy (Last Respect) that has benefited many members.
Court-based membership, where each court contributes a monthly subscription of Kes 2,000 to support the association’s operations.

5. Youth Committee

The Youth Committee has spearheaded:

The Syokimau Family and Sports Day. A calendar event for the community.
The Youth Career Day, an annual event aimed at empowering young residents.
Charity Week, held annually during the Easter holidays. See a pictorial of our past charity week events by clicking on the link below.

https://syokimau.co.ke/photo-gallery

6. Security Committee

The Security Committee has:

Successfully lobbied for the upgrade of the Syokimau Police Post to a fully-fledged police station and continues to support the police station to date.
Implemented the Nyumba Kumi initiative, organized around the 5-acre blocks court system.
A spirited and ongoing fight against alcohol and drug abuse within our community. This has seen many illegal outlets and drinking dens shut down by the authorities.

7. Faith Link Committee

The Faith Link Committee has:

Brought together faith-based institutions to address common faith-based issues.
Organized the annual Syokimau Prayer Day, a key event on the community’s calendar.

The SRA’s achievements over the years are many and not limited to the above, They reflect its commitment to improving the lives of Syokimau residents through structured governance, strategic partnerships, and community-driven initiatives. These achievements have earned the SRA the following awards and recognitions.

KARA Mihadarati Award:In recognition of our efforts in fighting the menace of alcohol and drug abuse in our neighbourhood.
KARA Environment Award:in recognition of our efforts in securing the right of residents to a clean and healthy environment.

These achievements among others have won us the bragging rights as the model Residents Association that has become the benchmark for other Residents Associations.

As the association prepares to launch its membership recruitment drive, it invites all residents to join hands in building a stronger, more vibrant community.

For more information, visit the SRA’s official channels or contact the secretariat. Together, we can achieve even greater milestones for Syokimau.

https://residentstoday.co.ke