Project Management Practices and Performance of Rural Road Construction Projects in Kenya: a Narumoru Road Project Implemented by Kerra in Laikipia County

Abstract

Road construction projects are characterized as high capital intensive due to its nature of work and mostly relied upon huge financial budgetary allocation and external financing. It is evident that road construction projects have stalled due to lack of funds, land acquisition process owing to the relocation and compensatory issues, inadequate support from the Local leadership advocating for their constituents rights resulting to litigation. Little attention is focused on the project management practices that influence project performance. Project management practices concentrate on how the project proponents adopt best practices such as procurement process, risk management and stakeholder management which are vital elements in project performance. The main objective of the study is to evaluate project management practice and project performance in rural road construction project in Kenya. A Case of KeRRA projects in Laikipia County. The study is anchored on the following specific objective; -to determine the influence of stakeholder participation, procurement process and risk management on performance of road construction project. The findings indicated that stakeholder participation has a statistically significant beneficial impact on project performance in rural construction projects in Kenya. According to the findings shown it can be observed that there is a statistically significant positive influence of procurement process on project performance in Kenya. The findings indicated a statistically significant positive relationship between the variable of risk management and project performance. The finding suggests that there is a positive relationship between risk management and project performance in rural construction projects. In order to ensure optimal project performance, project managers must integrate the utilization of project risk management systems. This approach would facilitate the monitoring of tasks during their implementation, allowing for the identification of any deviations and subsequent execution of corrective actions to address the underlying risk issues. The study recommends that proper procurement process should be adhered to. This will enhance value for money, accountability, transparency, fairness since these aspects will lead to enhanced construction projects. Procurement process is based on procurement pillars and therefore it should be followed to enhance effectiveness and efficiency during projects implementation. In order to gain a comprehensive understanding of stakeholder participation and obtain valuable input, it is imperative for the project manager to actively engage the relevant stakeholders throughout the duration of the project. It is imperative to design a comprehensive responsibility matrix for the team members, outlining the interrelationships between project members in terms of duties and reporting lines. During the execution of a project, it is imperative for project managers to ensure the availability and allocation of resources in the appropriate location, time, and quantities. This involves taking purposeful measures to effectively manage the implementation of tasks according to the project plan, as well as overseeing internal and external connections. The allocation of manpower should be based on the talents and experiences possessed by team members in order to achieve optimal results.