Factors influencing sustainability of constituency development fund (CDF) projects in Kenya: a case of Kitui south constituency in Kitui county.

Abstract

This research was carried out with an aim of analyzing factors influencing sustainability of CDF projects in Kenya focusing on Kitui South Constituency in Kitui County. The objectives of the study were; to establish to what extent projects implementation strategies used to execute projects influence sustainability of the CDF projects, to determine to what extent community involvement in project identification influence sustainability of CDF projects, to establish to what extent community involvement in project implementation process influences sustainability of CDF projects and to investigate to what extent management of CDF management committees influence sustainability of CDF projects in Kitui South Constituency. The study was based on descriptive survey research design. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted because it provides quantitative and numerical description. A descriptive research design involves fact finding and enquiries and describes what exists and it may help to uncover new facts and meaning. A purposeful sampling technique was used to arrive at sample size and a questionnaire used to collect data since it is cheap, unbiased and able to collect large amounts of data. Also other instruments used in data collection were observation schedule and interview guide. Qualitative and quantitative data analysis was done to determine the relationships between the independent and the dependent variables. To establish the reliability of the research instruments a pilot study was done to test the data collection instruments. Qualitative and quantitative methods of data analysis were used to analyze the findings by using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 20 for Windows. The study revealed that project implementation plans never existed for every project implemented as indicated by 55.3% of the respondents. It was established that top bottom/down was the approach mostly used in establishing and implementing CDF projects. The study also established that need assessment/analysis was not being done before identifying and establishing CDF projects as indicated by 62.1% of the respondents. The study found that level of community involvement in identification and selection of CDF projects was active (58.3% of respondents) and that CDF projects were identified by the community and based on community needs (67.0% of respondents). It was established that, generally community participation in project identification and implementation process was moderate hence the community was not satisfied with the project identification process. The key conclusion of the study was that, sustainability of CDF projects is possible in Kitui South Constituency. This can be achieved if there is a mechanism to ensure that beneficiaries of CDF projects who are the local communities are empowered to come up with tailor made mechanisms to ensure sustainability. The recommendations of the study were; Project implementation strategies such as bottom up approach should be encouraged and strictly adhered to, the community should be involved at all stages of the project cycle since they are the beneficiaries and failure to do so would lead to failure of many projects, there should be community sensitization and creation of awareness on the functions and operations of CDF and their role in project implementation process and there should be empowerment through capacity building for CDFC and PMC committee members and the community in general. The researcher hoped that the findings of the study will immensely be useful in planning and formulation of relevant policies which can address the challenges currently facing sustainability of CDF projects in Kitui South Constituency and in Kenya in general