Abstract Co-management has been promoted as a way of enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency in natural resource management. However, majority of the applied approaches have focused on one indicator independently overlooking other role indicators. This makes the co-management difficult. To enhance effectiveness, this study applied the 4Rs framework to analyse the role imbalances of the key stakeholders involved in the co-management of Aberdare forest ecosystem. The 4Rs provides analysis of the rights, responsibilities, revenues received and the relationships amongst co-managers for effective co-management. To improve on this framework our study expounded on the analysis of stakeholder roles according to priority which facilitated identification of the actual roles. The data was collected using mixed methods approach whereby 46 semi-structured interviews were conducted. Chain referral sampling was employed to ensure that the interviews resulted in sufficient theoretical saturation. Analysis of the listed and ranked responses for each R was done to identify the imbalance/balance. The results indicated role imbalances with conflicting responsibilities, revenues obtained and rights that jeopardized organizations efforts to deliver. Community-based organizations (CBO) accrued most revenues through forest livelihood improvement projects within the forest however; stakeholders whose mandate is to ensure in-situ conservation felt such policies compromised forests sustainability. Government organizations had the most responsibilities while CBO had the most revenues and rights. CBO collaborative management proposals were often neglected by government organizations which compromised the organizations’ relationships. Based on these findings, the 4Rs contributes to the identification of roles imbalance hence a potential indicator in enhancing effectiveness in co-managed ecosystems.
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