Factors influencing the effectiveness of constituency development fund programme in Fafi constituency, Garissa County, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to assess the factors that influence the effectiveness of the Constituency Development Fund program in Fafi Constituency, Garissa County. This was done by addressing the following objectives: assess the extent to which community participation, political interest, prioritization of projects by the CDFC and the mode of implementation influence the effectiveness of the Constituency Development Psnd program in Fafi constituency. Finally the study also sorts to find out the strategies that can be employed to improve the effectiveness of Constituency Development Fund program in the constituency. The study applied descriptive research design in the form of survey design.

Data was collected using questionnaires and interviews. This was in addition to secondary data that was received from different government officers including the District Development Officer and the Fund Account Manager. The collected data was recorded, analyzed and interpreted by use of descriptive statistics. The processed information was presented by use of frequency distribution tables and narratives. The study established thar'there was low participation in CDF activities in the constituency not only of the community members but also of the departmental heads within the district. As a result this had impacted negatively in the effectiveness of the fund. Further, the study established that prioritization of CDF projects did not take into consideration the needs of the people. It was observed that prioritization of projects was at the w~ims of the Member of Parliament and the other members of Constituency Development Fund Committee.

Projects identified by the community as priority projects do not in most circumstances fmd their way into the list of projects submitted to the CDFB. Such projects were therefore not effective in meeting the needs of the people. The study findings revealed that implementation of projects through the PMCs heavily undermined the quality of such projects. This was attributed to the non- involvement of people with the necessary know-how such as the departmental heads of line ministries and qualified contractors in the implementation process. As a result this led to time and cost overruns of CDP projects. To mitigate against the ineffectiveness of the CDP program, the study established that the fund should be de-politicized by removing the members of parliament from its active management. Other strategies should involve the active involvement of the community members and the involvement of people with the necessary technical know-how.