Organizational Dynamics and Public Participation in Kenya: A Case of Constituency Development Fund Projects in Manyatta Constituency, Embu County
Loading...
Date
2020
Authors
Imaya, Carolyne
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
Public participation in CDF-funded projects in Kenya is a mandatory practice that is
meant to ensure transparency and good governance in the management of public
resources. Yet, numerous cases are often reported where public participation is
deliberately ignored or inappropriately handled, hence leading to misappropriation of
funds, misplaced priorities in initiation of public projects, and stalling of some of the
already initiated projects among other inconveniences. The main objective of this study
was to establish the influence of organizational dynamics on public participation in
Constituency Development Fund (CDF) projects in Kenya, with reference to Manyatta
Constituency in Embu County. Specific objectives of the study included to determine the
influence of leadership, the role of financial resources, the effect of IT infrastructure, and
the effect of staff training on public participation in CDF projects in Manyatta
constituency. The study was guided by the Theory of Change by Carol Weiss (1995), and
it adopted descriptive research design where the target population was 154,632 residents
of Manyatta constituency spread across 6 wards in the constituency. Stratified random
sampling technique was used to select a study sample of 384 respondents and primary
data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Quantitative data was analyzed
using descriptive and inferential statistics with the help of SPSS computer software while
qualitative data was analyzed using thematic content analysis technique. Key findings
indicated that all the four independent variables: project leadership, financial resources,
IT infrastructure, and staff training significantly influenced public participation in CDF
funded projects. Majority of the respondents said that each of the four factors influenced
public participation in CDF projects to a great extent. Based on inferential analysis, it
emerged that a unit increase in project leadership, financial resources, IT infrastructure,
and staff training, other factors held constant, would result into 12.1%, 13.2%, 14.1%,
and 11.2% increase in public participation respectively. At 5% significance level, all the
predictor variables [project leadership (p=0.002<0.05), financial resources
(p=0.001<0.05), IT infrastructure (p=0.004<5), and staff training (p=0.003<0.05)] had
significant influence on the dependent variable, public participation in CDF funded
projects. The study concluded that project leadership, financial resources, IT
infrastructure, and staff training played a critical role in influencing public participation
in CDF projects in terms of the number and quality of projects completed and duration
they took for completion. The study recommended that all CDF managers should be
compelled by the public to allow and embrace public participation in CDF funded
projects. There must also be proper priority setting in initiation of CDF funded projects to
foster prudent financial resources management by CDF committees. This will further
enhance proper running of all activities associated with CDF such as public participation
which is a requirement by law. Also, all CDF management activities must integrate
information and communication technology through proper installation of IT
infrastructure and regular updates to meet current demands. CDF management staff mustalso be regularly trained in order to have the necessary skillsets for effective execution oftheir work and interaction with members of the public
Description
A Research Project Submitted to the School of Humanities and Social Sciences in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Master of Arts (Public Policy and Administration) of Kenyatta University, 2020
Keywords
Organizational Dynamics, Public Participation, Kenya, Constituency Development Fund, Projects, Manyatta Constituency, Embu County