Dynamics of Information Flows and Public Participation in National Government Constituency Development Funded School Projects in Garissa County, Kenya
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Date
2024-09
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Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
Public participation in the delivery of government-funded projects, such as those financed by the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF), is undeniably low and presents significant challenges. To harness the benefits of public participatiouch as inclusivity, transparency, responsiveness to citizen needs, and successful project implementation. It is essential to identify the contributing factors to this situation. Reports indicate that Kenya lacks both a structured framework and policies for civic education and public involvement, which has significantly contributed to low turnout at meetings across the country. This lack of engagement has, without a doubt, resulted in poor execution of NG-CDF projects, particularly in areas like Dadaab Constituency. This study, therefore, aims to investigate the dynamics of information flow related to public participation in NG-CDF School Projects in Dadaab, Garissa County, Kenya. The research objectives include examining the influence of public awareness, citizens’ perspectives, and stakeholder capacity on public participation in these projects. The theoretical foundation of the research is anchored in three main theories: The Theory of Planned Behavior, the Cognitive Engagement Theory, and Putnam’s Theory of Citizen Engagement. A descriptive research design was employed, targeting a variety of stakeholders involved in NG-CDF education projects in Dadaab Constituency. The respondents include NG-CDF committee members, ward representatives, staff from the county's education department, project beneficiaries, and project managers, which consist of the heads of all 45 public primary and secondary schools in the constituency, along with members of parent-teacher associations. In total, 144 respondents were targeted for participation in the study. To gather both qualitative and quantitative data, semi-structured questionnaires were utilized, and the data were analyzed using thematic and quantitative techniques. The qualitative data were analyzed thematically while SPSS (Version 26) was employed to extract descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings revealed that public awareness has a positive and significant influence on public participation in NG-CDF School Projects (β = 0.166; P-Value < 0.05). Additionally, citizens’ perspectives and stakeholder capacity were also found to have a positive and significant effect on public participation, with coefficients of β = 0.625 (P-Value < 0.05) and β = 0.121 (P-Value < 0.05), respectively. Based on these findings, the study recommends that the NG-CDF board in Dadaab implement targeted awareness campaigns aimed at improving public participation and promoting better community development outcomes. Additionally, it is essential to establish transparency and accountability measures, provide regular updates, and create mechanisms for citizen feedback to rebuild trust within the community. Encouraging active citizen engagement through the formation of advisory committees and community forums can further ensure that projects are aligned with the needs of the residents. Lastly, investing in capacity-building initiatives focused on communication and project management is crucial for fostering meaningful engagement and ensuring the success of these projects.
Description
A Research Project Submitted to the School of Law, Arts and Social Science in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of (Masters of Arts in Public Policy and Administration) of Kenyatta University, September 2024.
Supervisor
Edna Moi