An Assessment of the Monitoring and Evaluation System of Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the monitoring and evaluation system of Nairobi City Water Sewerage Company (NCWSC). The study was guided by two specific objectives including; to determine whether monitoring and evaluation system of NCWSC meets the defined standards and to establish whether monitoring and evaluation system of NCWSC operates functions as planned /intended. The study restricted itself to NCSWC guidelines on monitoring and evaluation systems which emphasized whether the system was functional, partially functional, or not functional. The study was based on the program theory and the theory of change. This study used Delphi method to assess NCWSC M&E System. Both primary data and secondary data sources were used to provide data for the assessment. Questionnaires were used to gather primary data while secondary data was collected by reviewing existing documents and M&E reports. Purposive sampling adopted to select the required respondents from the target population of 40 staff members. The respondents who participated in the assessment were 12 members in a population of 40 staff members and this sample proportion was 30 percent of the population. From the analysis of the data, NCWSC’s M&E system scored an average of 82 percent. This meant that the system in place met the UNAIDS 12 components’ standards to a great extent. It also meant that the system was functioning as intended to a great extent. The best performing component was data use and dissemination with a score of 90 percent, with the least performing component being national and sub-national databases with a score of 70 percent. It is worthy to note that all components performed above average. Nevertheless, several gaps were identified in the system which if addressed would make the system fully functional. The study concluded that with an average score of 82 percent, the system meets the set standards to a great extent. Almost all the components are well constituted and functioning albeit not to their optimum capacity. All the twelve components are able to meet performance expectations to a great extent. Key among the strongest components of the M&E system at NWSC are: data dissemination and use, organizational structure within M&E and plans. The key policy and programme recommendations in the study included; that there should be involvement of stakeholders through consultation and planning for M&E was identified as the weak link in the organizational structure within M&E component, minimize disjointed M&E actions by establishing routine mechanisms for M&E planning and management, come up with costed human capacity-building plan and have the necessary budget approvals in time, and strengthen the current partnerships by establishing more partnerships not only in the water sector but also other sectors. The study recommended that future research on the field should focus on investigating the alignment of the M&E system with broader organizational goals and its adaptability to dynamic external factors would offer valuable perspectives for enhancing the overall performance of NCWSC's M&E framework.