Monitoring and Evaluation Practices and Performance of National Government Constituencies Development Fund Projects: a Case of Mbooni Constituency, Makueni County, Kenya

Abstract

This study's objective was to assess the M&E practices and performance of NG-CDF schemes in Kenya. A case of NG-CDF plans in Mbooni Constituency was used. The research was founded on the principal practices of M&E, which included budget allocation, stakeholder participation, training levels and time allocation. The goals of the study were to ascertain how the amount of money allotted for M&E affects the performance of NG-CDF projects, how much stakeholder involvement affects that performance, what level of M&E training affects that performance, and how much time allotted for M&E affects that performance. The purpose of this study was to fill a knowledge gap regarding M&E procedures and the effectiveness of NG-CDF projects in Kenya. The study will be significant to both the County and National government, particularly the NG-CDF board members who make decisions about how to carry out long-term NG-CDF initiatives. The M&E team in active NG-CDF projects in the Mbooni Constituency was the subject of the study. The study was derived from two models stakeholder theory and theory of change. The relationship that exists between the research variables was demonstrated by a conceptual framework that exemplified interrelationships between study variables. With a target population of 110 participants and a sample size of 86 respondents, including members of the NG-CDF M&E Committee Members, Community leaders, Project committee leaders, and project leaders, the study applied a descriptive research approach. The sample size for the study was 86 respondents. For this investigation, a stratified random sampling approach was utilized to choose the sample. The primary data gathering instruments for this study were questionnaires and interview guides. Data will be checked for clarity, completeness and examined. It was then analyzed both inferentially and descriptively using the SPSS and findings tabulated accordingly. Regression and correlation were used to analyze the data; Pearson correlation was utilized to establish a relationship between the variables. The study indicated that the coefficient of determinant (R2) was 0.979; indicating that the explanatory power of the independent elements over the dependent variable was 97.9%, with the error term and other variables that were not analyzed accounting for the remaining 2.1% of the variation. This finding leads to the conclusion the performance of NG-CDF projects is influenced by budget allocation for M&E, stakeholder involvement in M&E, M&E training levels, and M&E time allocation. The study thus recommends that he NG-CDF Board must ensure sufficient, timely and consistent budgetary allocation to successfully accomplish the project's intended objectives. It further recommends that intentional attempts should also be made to include more stakeholders in project implementation.