Stakeholder participation and engagement in the governance of waste in Wolkite, Ethiopia

Using exploratory case-study, this study sought to explore the institutional and structural components of stakeholders’ participation in the governance of waste in Wolkite Town. It helps to understand the potential and power of stakeholders through establishing autonomous multi-level governance regimes. The study revealed that the top-down and provincial nature of waste governance in Wolkite town is fragile and collapses with limited outcomes, for stakeholders do not take responsibility and accountability that governs and encourages their engagement. Rather, their engagement is limited to working based on government initiatives that do not encourage multi-scale governance programs which could make waste governance broad in content by combining the commercial, health, social, and environmental stakes of stakeholders. The stakeholders are not aware of the impact of their power and how waste cold be governed according to the distinct institutional structures instead of following uniform approaches.Hence, it is imperative to institute different governance centers that have the power and responsibility to organize and transform waste governance practices.