Influence of Monitoring and Evaluation on Major Maintenance and Performance of White Petroleum Products Pipelines in Kenya

Abstract

Kenya's1 strategic location1 as1 an1 East1 African1 trade1 hub and1 its1 rapidly1 growing1 economy1 have1 spurred1 significant1 investments1 in1 critical1 infrastructure, including1 pipelines, to meet1 energy1 demands1 and1 support1 international1 trade. However, the1 capacity1 of1 the1 pipeline1 has1 been1 limited1 in1 addressing1 the1 increasing1 petroleum products1 demand1 in1 the1 country1 and1 other1 landlocked1 countries1 dependent1 on1 Kenya1 for1 their1 products. Consequently, the1 maintenance1 and1 performance1 of1 White1 Petroleum Products1 Pipelines1 in1 Kenya1 serves1 as1 a1 pertinent1 case1 study1 to substantiate1 the1 overarching1 assertion1 that1 M&E1 is1 pivotal1 in1 realizing1 the1 full1 potential1 of1 pipeline1 infrastructural1 projects1 across1 the1 nation. The1 study1 aimed1 to investigate1 the1 Influence1 of1 Monitoring1 and1 Evaluation1 on1 the1 Major1 Maintenance1 and1 Performance1 of1 White1 Petroleum Products1 Pipelines1 in1 Kenya. The1 specific objectives1 of1 this1 research were: to establish the1 Extent1 of1 Monitoring1 and1 Evaluation1 on1 White1 Petroleum Products1 Pipelines1 in1 Kenya, to determine1 the1 Influence1 of1 Monitoring1 and1 Evaluation1 on1 the1 Major1 Maintenance1 and1 Performance1 of1 White1 Petroleum Products1 Pipelines1 in1 Kenya, and1 to examine1 the1 challenges1 faced1 in1 monitoring1 and1 evaluation1 of1 White1 Petroleum Products1 Pipelines1 in1 Kenya. The1 research was1 anchored1 by1 resource1 dependence1 theory and1 Shannon-Weaver1 Information1 Theory. This1 study1 adopted1 a1 descriptive1 research design. The1 study1 targeted1 the1 5 White1 Petroleum Products1 Pipelines1 in1 Kenya. The1 respondents of1 analysis1 was1 (10) Board1 and1 Executive1 Management, (15) M&E1 Officers, and1 (82) Maintenance1 Engineers1 and1 Technicians. The1 research targeted1 107 respondents. Since1 it was1 a1 small1 population, a1 census1 was1 appropriate. Structured1 questionnaires1 were1 employed1 to get1 primary1 data. Data1 that1 was1 collected1 from the1 field1 was1 filtered, sorted1 and1 cleaned1 in1 line1 with research objectives. The1 data1 was1 coded, and1 entered1 into and1 analyzed1 using1 statistics1 software1 (SPSS, Version1 28.0). This1 study1 adopted1 both descriptive1 and1 inferential1 statistics. Descriptive1 statistics1 including1 frequencies, percentages, mean1 scores, and1 standard1 deviation1 was1 produced1 for1 all1 the1 quantitative1 data. Inferential1 statistics1 was1 done1 using1 the1 multiple1 linear1 regression1 The1 results1 were1 presented1 using1 tables. On1 resource1 allocation1 on1 monitoring1 and1 evaluation, the1 study1 found1 that1 the1 pipelines1 provide1 necessary1 technology1 and1 tools1 for1 data1 collection1 and1 analysis1 in1 M&E1 activities, and1 adequate1 budget1 is1 allocated1 to support1 comprehensive1 M&E1 efforts1 in1 pipelines. On1 training1 and1 development1 on1 monitoring1 and1 evaluation, the1 research established1 that1 M&E1 staff1 receive1 adequate1 training1 hours1 to develop their1 skills, and1 opportunities1 for1 obtaining1 relevant1 certifications1 are1 accessible1 to M&E1 staff. Regarding1 the1 monitoring1 and1 evaluation1 feedback, the1 research found1 that1 quick response1