Community Participation in Ward Development Fund (Wdf) Projects in Harambee Ward, Makadara Sub-county

Abstract

This was a cross-sectional mixed method study on community participation in Ward Development Fund (WDF) in Harambee ward, Makadara Sub-County, Nairobi City County. The study examined the level of awareness and knowledge of WDF, the mode of participation and degree of inclusivity and the constraints to participation in WDF projects. The study population comprised of Harambee ward residents considered as beneficiaries of the WDF funded projects. A sample of 200 respondents from Harambee ward was selected randomly to participate in the survey. Four Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and four Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) were also conducted. The FGD participants were purposively selected because of their locations in the ward while the key informants were sampled purposively due to their knowledge and position in the ward. The study was guided by the Structuration theory. The quantitative data was analysed using SPSS while qualitative data was thematically analysed using NViVO. The findings indicate that there is generally a high awareness level of WDF among Harambee ward residents at 91.6%. However, the knowledge on the specific details of WDF in relation to the disbursed amount, the cost of the project is still very low at 17.3%. This limited knowledge on disbursed funds has an effect on the level of accountability and transparency in funds utilization. Furthermore, community members were not being included in the monitoring and evaluation phases of projects since they lacked knowledge on the WDF operations. As a result, the projects have been inequitably spread across the wards and reflect an element of abuse of power and corruption by those who have been tasked with the management of the fund. The involvement of women and people living with disability (PLWD) in these projects is done in a passive manner. Significant challenges to active participation included lack of capacity building, lack of flow of information, political appointments of the management committee, lack of community training and social audits and poor redress mechanisms. Therefore, the study recommends elaborate advocacy and sensitization of the community members on their rights, duties and responsibilities. This could be done through the development of advocacy materials containing the needed participation and how to do so and to demand for inclusion. The management team also requires training on effective management skills and people involvement. Additionally, the study recommends that the community members be imparted with skills that can enable them to conduct social audits and demand accountability. The findings of the social audits can enable those tasked with managing the fund to have feedback on the kind of policies and programmes to formulate or change for the better.