MONITORING AND EVALUATION AND PERFORMANCE OF CONSTITUENCY DEVELOPMENT FUND PROJECTS IN GARISSA COUNTY, KENYA
Abdullahi Hassan Abdi - Masters in Business Administration (Project Management), Kenyatta University, Kenya
Gladys Kimutai - Lecturer, Management Science Department, Kenyatta University, Kenya
ABSTRACT
Monitoring and evaluation is a crucial component of a project management which determines the end result of any project. The CDF Act of Kenya and Implementation Guidelines from the CDF Board place great emphasis on the monitoring and evaluation of CDF projects, this responsibility of monitoring is placed upon the various stakeholders of the projects. There have been a lot of challenges which have negated the benefits of CDF operations leading to poor performance of CDF projects. The challenges include inappropriate implementation of the projects resulting in some projects not being completed as planned and management capabilities of some committee members being questionable. To have an effective monitoring, the team must ask the right questions, investigate the real issues and generate relevant information to enable them make an accurate assessment of the project.The main objective of this study was to establish the influence of monitoring and evaluation on the performance of CDF Projects. The specific objectives of the study were to assess the influence of technical expertise, stakeholder participation, approach/design and feedback on performance of Constituency Development Fund projects in Garissa County, Kenya. The study was anchored on systems thoery, prospect thoery and the thoery of constraints. The scope of the study was Laisamis constituency development fund 2014/2015 approved projects in Garissa County. This study employed a descriptive survey research design. The target population was 71 respondents from which a census was carried out. Numerical data collected using questionnaire was coded and analyzed with help of a Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS). Data collected was analyzed and interpreted based on the identified Independent variables and relate their effects on the dependent variables. Descriptive statistics used was frequencies, percentages, measures of central tendancy and measures of dispersion while inferential statistics was pearson moment of correlation and regressions. The respondents indicated that the M&E team incorporates relevant government departments’ officers and have adequate knowledge and skills. The respondents however disagreed to the statement that Monitoring and Evaluation is carried out frequently as shown by a low mean and a standard deviation. The respondents also agreed with a high mean that participation of stakeholders is crucial to successful implementation of M&. The respondents also agreed that the stakeholders have knowledge of M&E practices. the respondents agreed that there are clear statements of measurable objectives on CDF projects as well as structured set of indicators on CDF projects. The respondents also agreed that There is a project monitoring & feedback system in place which is done on a monthly basis. It was also established that project monitoring feedback for CDF projects is a continuous process and CDF stakeholders are usually involved in Monitoring and Feedback of the projects. The respondents however agreed that the projects is completed within budget and implemented according to the original design. A deficiency in monitoring and evaluation is characterized by lack of technical skills among M&E professionals and other stakeholders, poor M&E approaches/designs, lack of proper stakeholder involment, inadequate means of monitoring and evaluation data storage, poor data processing, poor means of dissemination of monitoring and evaluation information. The study established that those charged with the responsibility of carrying out M&E, comprising officials from CDF management were not empowered with appropriate skills and knowledge, consequently it is recommended that they should be appropriately empowered with the necessary knowledge in order to have the grasp of these tools in order to utilize them. It is recommended that CDF management staff should include a quantity surveyor. More monitoring and evaluation professional should be employed in order to carry out a credible M&E exercise of CDF projects. It was noted that many projects had stalled due to inconsistency in funding and change of political leadership.
