Influence of Monitoring and Evaluation on the Performance of Water Projects in Kenya: a Case of Mwala Water Project, Machakos County

Abstract

Globally, institutions, governments, international and local development agencies have embraced monitoring and evaluation as a core component in project management. Monitoring and evaluation as a field is currently taking shape in governments around the world for the purpose of accountability and improved governance for economic development. The objective of this study was to find out the influence of monitoring and evaluation on the performance of water projects in Kenya; a case of Mwala water project in Machakos County. The study was based on a descriptive design and the sampling was both purposive and simple random. This was a focused study with water project beneficiaries, water project staff and water project committee as the primary respondents. The sample size (S) of this study was calculated based on Krejcie and Morgan (1970) of known population (N). The sample size of this study was 226 randomly selected households from a population of 547 households, 6 water project committee members and 4 project staff. This study sought to investigate the influence of monitoring and evaluation on the performance of water projects. The research was meant to expose if there is a link between monitoring and evaluation and achievement of pre-designed water project objectives. This research tested the influence of; formative evaluation, summative evaluation, financing monitoring and evaluation activities, participatory data collection and skilled human resource in monitoring and evaluation against the performance of the water projects. This study justifies the reason behind investing in monitoring and evaluation in water projects. It also validates the reasons of having such a theme in the organizational structure. In conclusion, this study sought to establish the relation between monitoring and evaluation and performance of water projects in a development context. The research evidence found also provided sufficient support for government departments, institutions and donor agencies to realize the need to invest or the need not to invest in monitoring and evaluations for performance of water projects.