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Background

Kenya faces escalating climate crises, including droughts and floods, exacerbated by corruption risks in climate financing. The Financing Locally Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) programme, a multi-billion-dollar initiative supported by Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, KFW, and the World Bank was launched in 2021. The programme development objective is to strengthen local resilience to the impact of climate change, natural hazards, and other shocks by building local capacity to plan, budget, implement, and monitor resilience investments in a way that promotes collaborative partnerships between communities, national and county governments.

FLLoCA is vulnerable to mismanagement and corruption due to complex stakeholder dynamics, technical challenges, and limited transparency. The Royal Danish Embassy seeks to host a U4 workshop in Q3 2025 to address these risks. This research will inform the workshop by identifying corruption vulnerabilities, analysing existing safeguards, and proposing actionable solutions.

Objectives

The research aims to:

• Identify corruption risks in climate financing mechanisms in Kenya and East Africa, with a focus on – but not limited to – FLLoCA.
• Identify broader corruption risks in the political economy of Kenya, with a focus on climate change initiatives and programmes. For example, challenges regarding land tenure, Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) of local communities, etc.
• Analyse successful anti-corruption measures from comparable contexts in East Africa.
• Provide actionable recommendations to strengthen transparency and accountability in FLLoCA implementation. A focus should be highlighted regarding the human development impacts of corruption, mismanagement and weak institutions.
• Support workshop objectives by equipping stakeholders with evidence-based strategies..

Scope of work

Key research areas:

1. Contextual analysis:
   1. Broad analysis of the political economy of Kenya relating to climate change.
   2. Linkages between climate change impacts (eg droughts, floods) and corruption vulnerabilities in Kenya.
   3. Overview of FLLoCA’s structure, funding flows, and governance challenges.
2. Corruption risk assessment:
   1. Mapping risks in FLLoCA’s design, fund allocation, and implementation (eg county-level accountability gaps).
   2. Case studies of past corruption incidents in Kenyan climate projects.
3. Comparative analysis:
   1. Anti-corruption mechanisms in climate financing from other countries (eg devolved funding models, participatory monitoring).
   2. Discussion of examples from Kenya and relevant countries in Africa.
4. Stakeholder landscape:
   1. Roles and responsibilities of FLLoCA stakeholders (National Treasury, County Governments, donors).
   2. Gaps in coordination and oversight.
5. Recommendations:
   1. Technical, institutional, and policy measures to mitigate corruption risks.

Methodology

The final report should be based on the following methodologies:

Desk research should include a review of academic literature, FLLoCA documents, audits, and Kenya’s climate policies. It should also include analysis of integrity frameworks, ethics policies, and other institutional safeguards of multilateral funds and mechanisms.

The report should also be based on key informant interviews such as consultation with FLLoCA Steering Committee members, county officials, and anti-corruption experts, national designated authorities (NDAs), civil society organisations, and anti-corruption experts.

The report should include case studies and examples. For example, examine 2–3 international/Kenyan examples of anti-corruption success and failure in climate finance.

Data should be gathered using both qualitative and quantitative methods to identify risk patterns and propose frameworks.

The report shall be written for and published in the U4 Issue-series and should adhere to guidelines in the U4 publication policy and style guide.

The consultant(s) will also present and participate in the workshop, hosted by The Danish Embassy, with stakeholders to validate findings and refine the research.

Deliverables

1. Inception report /concept note:
   Using the U4 templates and guidance, write a concept note that includes sections on methodology, work plan, and preliminary literature review, research questions and background.
2. Draft research report (U4 Issue):
   Using the U4 publication template and all relevant guidance notes the report will include a full analysis of corruption risks, case studies, and initial recommendations (by month 4).
3. Final report:
   Revised U4 Issue with infographics, summary, and policy blog. The paper should include practical recommendations relevant for the different stakeholders. This could include practical guidelines for fund administrators and policymakers to mitigate risks (by month 6).
4. Presentation of findings:
   Organise, with U4, a webinar or workshop for stakeholders.

Timeline

Qualifications

• Expertise: Proven experience in anti-corruption, climate finance, or public governance.
• Regional knowledge: Familiarity with Kenya’s devolved governance and climate policies.
• Analytical skills: Ability to synthesise technical and qualitative data
• Language: Fluency in English; Swahili proficiency is an asset.

Reporting and coordination

• The consultant will report to Saul Mullard (Senior Adviser, U4) in consultation with the Danish Embassy.
• Regular check-ins with the Anti-Corruption Donor Working Group (Finland, Germany, Norway, Sweden, UK).
• Access to FLLoCA Steering Committee members for interviews.

Budget

The budget will be negotiated based on the proposal. It will include travel to Nairobi for stakeholder consultations and the U4 in-country workshop.

Ethical considerations

The consultant(s) must follow the ethical guidelines of U4 and CMI during the data collection, analysis and reporting. Particular consideration should be given towards the handling of personal data along the lines of SIKT and CMI/U4 research policies. This includes ensuring confidentiality of interviewees and adherence to data protection laws. Disclose conflicts of interest and maintain impartiality in analyses.

How to submit a proposal

We welcome proposals from companies or collaborating teams of individual consultants.

E-mail address
Please send your application/proposal electronically to u4@cmi.no

E-mail subject line
Please set thee-mail subject to: Kenya climate financing

Deadline
Please send your proposal on or before 26 May 2025.

Documents
We will only consider applications that contain all of the following documents:

1. Curriculum Vitae with two (2) references and a list of similar assignments undertaken.
2. A cover letter detailing relevant experience and suitability for the post.
3. Technical and budget proposal (3–4 pages) with a clear methodological approach, clear outline, description of the work plan, and itemised budget (with all-inclusive consultant(s)’ fees).
4. Sample of a relevant text written by the applicant(s).

Evaluation criteria

Proposals will be assessed based on:

1. Technical merit (40%)
2. Relevant experience (30%)
3. Cost-effectiveness (20%)
4. Innovation (10%)

Questions?

Please send any questions you may have to the coordinating CMI–U4 adviser for this consultancy assignment:

Saul Mullard, saul.mullard@cmi.no

About CMI and U4

The Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI) is an independent multi-disciplinary development research institute in Norway addressing issues that shape global development and generating knowledge to fight poverty, advance human rights, and promote sustainable social development.

The U4 Anti‐Corruption Resource Centre (U4) was established at CMI in 2002 to promote a better understanding of anti‐corruption issues and approaches to international development. At U4, we work to reduce the harmful impact of corruption on society by sharing research and evidence to help international development actors get sustainable results. We communicate practical entry points for countering corruption – through dialogue, publications, online training, workshops, and a helpdesk.

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