Perceived effect of participatory monitoring and evaluation on the local authority service delivery action planning (lasdap) process in Bondo Sub-County, Kenya

Abstract

Community participation has remained a key concept in the development process in Kenya and many parts of the world today. Local Authority Service Delivery Action Planning (LASDAP) was meant to achieve community participation with participatory monitoring and evaluation as the driving force within the local authorities in Kenya. Many projects have been implemented across Bondo Sub County yet no study has been carried out to determine the effect of participatory monitoring and evaluation on the LASDAP project implementation. The study therefore intended to investigate the perceived effects of participatory monitoring and evaluation on the LASDAP project implementation in the former Bondo County Council now named Bondo Sub County in the new structure of county government in Kenya. Ex-postfacto design was used in the study to examine the effects of participatory monitoring and evaluation since it was introduced in 2008. The target population of the study were the beneficiaries of the LASDAP projects whereas the accessible population were 1260 LASDAP project committee members within the Bondo sub-county. Multi-stage sampling method was used to select seven wards out of the 14 wards. 42 projects were selected using both purposive and simple random sampling methods from the eight wards. Seven respondents were selected from each of the 42 projects. Purposive sampling method was then used to select 3 females and simple random sampling method to select four males respectively to yield a study sample of 294 respondents. Questionnaires were used to collect data. Validity of the instruments was examined by a team of experts from the department of Applied Community Development Studies. The questionnaires were pilot tested in Gem subcounty formerly Siaya county council for reliability and a reliability coefficient of 0.78 obtained. Data collected was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) V.20. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze data, which included frequencies, means, percentages and standard deviations to determine the associations and trends in the interactions of variables. The study found that PM&E in general improved the LASDAP process and especially stakeholder relationships. However, there were mixed reactions regarding cost efficiency in project implementation. These findings led to the recommendation that the county government adopt monitoring structures used by the defunct local authorities in current and future projects.